Nokia today has announced that it has successfully completed an end-to-end 5G New Radio (5G NR) data call. This is a part of the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) 5G Technology R&D trial. The 3GPP-compliant dual connectivity call was conducted using a 5G NR system over-the-air on the 3.5GHz frequency band and LTE in the 2.1 GHz frequency band, supported by a 5G user equipment simulator provided by PRISMA Telecom Testing.
The dual connectivity for existing 4G operators will allow the company to more rapidly create 5G coverage and services by connecting 5G NR to a 4G radio that is connected to an existing Cloud Packet Core. This is an important step towards the verification of 5G in the sub-6 GHz frequency bands, that is required for wide-area coverage and massive IoT connectivity. This is in preparation of commercial deployment in China in 2020. China will be one of the first adopters of 5G, and will deliver new possibilities for consumers and industries alike.
The end-to-end data call uses the Nokia AirScale Cloud RAN, Nokia AirScale baseband unit, Nokia 5G Massive MIMO Active Antenna, Nokia Cloud Packet Core and Nokia home subscriber service together with a 5G end-user equipment simulator provided by PRISMA Telecom Testing. The Nokia AirFrame data center solution was used to control the Cloud RAN. The company said that it will work with MIIT trialing 5G in the 4.9 GHz frequency bands.
Marc Rouanne, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said:
We are pleased to showcase our end-to-end capabilities in 5G in this successful call and trial with MIIT. Nokia is ready to support dual connectivity with the AirScale radio access portfolio as it is upgradeable via software to 5G and provides single RAN support for 4G, 4.5G Pro and 4.9G as well as legacy technologies. As a result we can help our customers meet their early 5G deployment schedules and initial coverage demands.
Enrico Bendinelli, President of PRISMA Telecom Testing, said:
We are excited about this successful collaboration with Nokia, which lays a fundamental stepping stone in the evolution of 5G. PRISMA Telecom Testing is a key global player in the Radio Access Network testing arena, capable of supporting all 3GPP mobile technologies. With our activities currently spanning from R&D to technology integration and field trials we support our customers through all development stages of the new 5G standard.