Ericsson
and MediaTek have set a new 5G upload speed record of 440 Mbps in low-band and
mid-band spectrum using Uplink Carrier Aggregation. The zippy uplink speed
brings better, smoother experiences for the likes of video conference users,
streamers, and their audience with more frames per second and higher image
resolution.
The
record uplink speed was achieved in an interoperability development test at an
Ericsson lab. The test was performed with RAN Compute Baseband 6648 and a
mobile device using MediaTek Dimensity 9200 flagship 5G smartphone chipset. The
Uplink Carrier Aggregation combination involved a frequency division duplex
(FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) channel, in a frequency range widely
deployed in today’s 5G networks.
More
precisely, the combination used was 50MHz FDD n1 and 100MHz TDD n77. By
aggregating these two bands, communications service providers can considerably
increase their uplink speeds, resulting in better network performance and user
experience.
Sibel
Tombaz, Head of Product Line 5G RAN, Ericsson, says: ”Super-fast uplink speeds
make a big difference in the user experience. From lag-free live streaming,
video conferencing and AR/VR apps, to more immersive gaming and extended
reality (XR) technologies.”
“The
440 Mbps upload speed achieved by Ericsson and MediaTek will help make that
difference,” she adds. “We are also continuously designing innovative solutions
for optimizing 5G networks so our customers can make the best use of their
spectrum assets.”
Service
providers are seeking innovative ways of boosting capacity while using existing
spectrum efficiently to meet growing demands for wireless data and
applications. This is where carrier aggregation comes in, optimizing the
service provider’s spectrum assets to bring to users better coverage, increased
capacity, and higher data speeds.
HC
Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication System and Partnership at
MediaTek, says: “The successful result of combining Ericsson’s state-of-the-art
5G Baseband and MediaTek’s flagship smartphone chip has achieved another 5G
industry milestone, and paves the way for superior mobile experiences to
benefit users every day.”
Uplink
speed is becoming more crucial with the expected uptake of gaming, XR, and
video-based apps. For example, as AR devices gain popularity with larger
augmentation objects, rendering becomes more demanding. This increases the
demand on networks to deliver higher throughput and lower latency.