SK Telecom and Samsung have revealed they have created a system to verify millimeter-wave (mmWave) technology, one of the key building blocks for future 5G networks.
SK Telecom has built the system at its corporate R&D center inside its Bundang Building. The company boasted that with the launch of the new system it has become the first South Korean mobile operator to install 5G technologies in its building.
The system will allow SK Telecom and Samsung to test and verify wireless transmissions using mmWave technology, improving transmission performance between base station and handset.
mmWave uses 30-GHz or higher frequency bands to improve transmission and capacity. Use of high-frequency spectrum will be critical to ensuring 5G delivers on its transmission speed promise while addressing saturation at lower frequencies.
SK Telecom and Samsung have been working to develop technologies that will enable the use of spectrum above 6-GHz since October last year.
At this year's Mobile World Congress, the companies demonstrated data rates of 7.55Gbps by using a jointly-developed 3D beamforming antenna technology to reduce propagation loss at millimeter-wave frequencies.
“Through close collaboration with a global ICT player Samsung Electronics, SK Telecom is pleased to launch the mmWave system where we can develop and verify mmWave technologies,” SK Telecom CTO and head of corporate R&D Alex Jinsung Choi said.
“SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics will further strengthen joint R&D efforts to lead the upcoming 5G era.