In partnership with Qualcomm, ZTE and China Mobile hit 700 Mbps downlink in gigabit LTE testing
While 5G promises to ultimately deliver multi-gigabit-per-second mobile throughput speeds, carriers around the world are focused on providing gigabit-LTE speeds to users well before a 5G standard is defined by 3GPP. Working with China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile carrier by subscribers, infrastructure provider ZTE is touting its work around delivering gigabit LTE in a new test leveraging Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 platform, which supported a 700 Mbps data rate.
Gigabit LTE is based on technologies seen as key to 5G including 4×4 multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO), 256 QAM and carrier aggregation. Click here to learn more about those underlying technologies, as well as how delivery of gigabit LTE to Cat 16 device users has a broader impact on network performance.
According to ZTE, target applications for gigabit LTE include virtual reality, cloud storage, free lossless audio codec music and HD video services. ZTE referred to gigabit LTE as delivering “5G-like performance and service experience on 4G networks, paving the way for a comprehensive evolution from 4G to 5G.”
Singtel deploys massive MIMO in 2.6 GHz band
In another test characterized by ZTE as pre5G, the vendor worked with Singapore carrier Singtel to deploy massive MIMO to increase user data speeds ahead of the country’s planned National Day celebrations.
Although ZTE didn’t share specifics, the company said users saw a “sharp increase in throughput.” ZTE executive Bai Yanmin said the company’s pre-standard 5G deployments are based on the “relatively clear” direction of standardization. “We are devoting our efforts to promote the product developent and commercial use of pre5G, aiming to bring a 5G-like user experience to existing end users through massive MIMO, arguably the most important 5G technology.”
