YOU ARE AT:5GVerizon partners with Korea Telecom for 5G trials

Verizon partners with Korea Telecom for 5G trials

Verizon 5G efforts could leverage KT’s millimeter wave technology

Verizon Wireless plans to work closely with Korea Telecom as part of its effort to lead the development of a “5G” standard. Korea Telecom announced the partnership this weekend, and said the two carriers will cooperate to expedite 5G standardization and commercialization.
The United Nations International Telecommunications Union has set a goal for 5G standardization by 2020, meaning the technology may not even be fully defined until then. However, there are a few technologies that are widely expected to be part of 5G, including the use of millimeter wave spectrum. According to the Korea Times, KT’s millimeter wave expertise is of great interest to Verizon Wireless.
KT is also likely to be one of the first carrier to actually launch a 5G network for consumers. Even though the standard probably won’t be finalized in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, KT has said it will debut 5G at the event. In announcing its ambition to a launch a 5G network in 2018, KT said it saw massive multiple-input/multiple-output antenna technology with beamforming, software-defined networking, network functions virtualization and virtualized radio access networks as part of 5G.
The new alliance follows Verizon Wireless’ February announcement of an alliance with KT, SK Telecom and NTT DoCoMo to develop an aligned 5G trial specification designed to serve as a common platform for radio interface trial activities. The companies said at the time that technical trials would start this year.
Verizon Wireless and KT are also partners in an LTE-Broadcast alliance. LTE-Broadcast technology is designed to enable multiple end-user devices to share a single multimedia stream.
Verizon Wireless has invited KT executives to its 5G test facility in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, where the carrier recently demonstrated network speeds of up to 1.8 gigabits per second using fixed wireless point-to-multipoint technology.
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Martha DeGrasse
Martha DeGrassehttp://www.nbreports.com
Martha DeGrasse is the publisher of Network Builder Reports (nbreports.com). At RCR, Martha authored more than 20 in-depth feature reports and more than 2,400 news articles. She also created the Mobile Minute and the 5 Things to Know Today series. Prior to joining RCR Wireless News, Martha produced business and technology news for CNN and Dow Jones in New York and managed the online editorial group at Hoover’s Online before taking a number of years off to be at home when her children were young. Martha is the board president of Austin's Trinity Center and is a member of the Women's Wireless Leadership Forum.