Vodafone, Qualcomm and Xiaomi participate in Europe’s first test of enhanced 5G uplink technology
Vodafone, Xiaomi and Qualcomm Technologies Inc have successfully tested new 5G technology that will pave the way for customers to get faster upload speeds and wider coverage with the arrival of new smartphones and devices expected during 2024 .
In the first European technical test of this advanced 5G uplink technology, Vodafone, Qualcomm and Xiaomi achieved peak upload speeds of up to 273 megabits per second (Mbps). Most modern smartphones and home broadband services support average upload speeds of 100 Mbps. Enhanced 5G technology will bring upload speeds closer to download levels, while expanding coverage and increasing capacity.
The test combined the power of Vodafone’s new 5G Standalone (5G SA) network in both Germany and Spain with Qualcomm’s latest silicon technology (Snapdragon® 8 Gen 3 mobile platform) and Xiaomi’s upcoming flagship smartphones . Improved uplink capabilities will allow customers to upload photos, videos and files to social media sites and the cloud nearly twice as fast as today when next-generation devices arrive later this year. This is important to meet the growing demand for cloud storage, video streaming, augmented and virtual reality applications, and multiplayer gaming.
Alberto Ripepi, Chief Network Officer at Vodafone, said: “We want our customers to be able to benefit from this new 5G capability before anywhere else in the world when it becomes available. To that end, we are working with key partners to We’re leading the industry and driving a stronger vendor and developer ecosystem while bringing together and testing the networks, silicon chips, and devices needed to make that happen.”
This technological advancement is made possible using the advanced features of 5G SA. Specifically, the ability to improve uplink performance using a technique called uplink carrier aggregation with Tx switching, which combines multiple transmission channels supported by smartphones and mobile antennas. Most of the existing 5G services offered by telcos partially rely on 4G technology known as 5G non-standalone, while Vodafone has pioneered the rollout of 5G SA. . The company is launching this commercially in Germany (first in the EU) and the UK, while also piloting it in other markets to support uplink carrier aggregation with Tx switching as new devices become available. We plan to update the site in stages.
said Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President of Qualcomm Europe and President of Qualcomm Europe/MEA. The evolution of 5G to 5G Standalone, which is the ultimate realization of 5G technology, and 5G Advanced is an important step in realizing the full promise of 5G. ”
“The successful pilot test of UL Tx switching highlights the added value of maximizing resource utilization and further enhancing uplink performance in terms of user equipment capabilities,” said Deputy General Manager of Products & Technology at Xiaomi. Andi Zhang added. “We are committed to working with our key partners to innovate in 5G and access technologies to improve the customer experience and stay ahead of the curve.”
Note to editors About testing in Germany and Spain
Modern smartphones have one or two dedicated channels for uplinks, with each channel providing around 100Mbps depending on where you are (capacity tends to decrease indoors or in crowded areas). By using uplink carrier aggregation and Tx switching in conjunction with commercial devices, Vodafone and its technology vendors have been able to better optimize the way information is transmitted. This resulted in speed increases of 35% to 54%, depending on the distance between the smartphone and the mobile site.
The successful test was conducted using Vodafone’s multi-vendor live test 5G network named “CREATE” (Ciudad Real España Advanced Testing Environment) and Vodafone’s commercial 5G SA network in Hannover, Germany. It was held in Ciudad Real, Spain. Uplink Boost is Vodafone’s latest 5G innovation, which includes successful testing of the 6GHz spectrum for future capacity increases and new software ideal for low-power devices such as smart watches, credit card readers, and portable routers. Also included. Does not drain battery life.
About Vodafone
Vodafone is the largest pan-European and African telecommunications company. Our purpose is to lead to a better future by using technology to improve lives, digitize critical sectors and enable an inclusive and sustainable digital society.
We provide mobile and fixed services to more than 300 million customers in 17 countries, partner with mobile networks in an additional 46 countries, and provide Internet of Things (IoT) services that connect more than 167 million devices and platforms. It is also a world leader. With Vodacom Financial Services and M-Pesa, Africa’s largest financial technology platform, we serve more than 71 million people across seven countries.
We are committed to reducing our environmental impact to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, while helping our customers reduce their carbon emissions by 350 million tonnes by 2030. Masu. We drive actions to reduce device waste and achieve reuse, resale or recycling goals. By 2025, 100% of networks will be wasted.
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