Chipmaker Qualcomm announced it has achieved the world's first 5G data connection on a 5G modem chipset designed for mobile devices.
The company has unveiled its first Snapdragon chipset capable of delivering gigabit speeds, and conducted a data connection demonstration in the 28-GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) band.
The demonstration at Qualcomm's laboratories in San Diego achieved gigabit download speeds over several 100 MHz 5G carriers. It used a 5G protocol R&D toolset and 5G wireless test platform from Keysight Technologies.
“Achieving the world’s first announced 5G data connection with the Snapdragon X50 5G modem chipset on 28GHz mmWave spectrum is truly a testament to Qualcomm Technologies’ leadership in 5G and extensive expertise in mobile connectivity,” Qualcomm EVP Cristiano Amon said.
“This major milestone and our 5G smartphone reference design showcase how Qualcomm Technologies is driving 5G NR in mobile devices to enhance mobile broadband experiences for consumers around the world.”
ABI Research research director Dimitris Mavrakis commented that the demonstration illustrates that the industry is “now at a phase where 5G is evolving from a concept to actual hardware that will eventually be optimized, miniaturized and commercialized.”
He said this marks one of the major steps towards the real deployment of 5G networks.
“It is still very early days for 5G in millimeter wave frequencies and many issues need to be resolved before early networks are switched on and compatible devices are in the hands of consumers,” Mavrakis said.
“However, the Qualcomm announcement will likely create a new wave of innovation in the chipset and device ecosystem, which will eventually feed into commercial devices. Qualcomm’s reference design is perhaps a more important announcement in that aspect; using this design, vendors can now create compatible devices and develop products for 5G.”
Qualcomm has also announced that it has teamed up with US telecoms giant Verizon as well as Novatel Wireless to collaborate on 5G new radio mmWave technology development and over-the-air field trials based on the 3GPP's in-development 5G standard.