The implementation is based on Ericsson 5G SA New Radio-Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) and carrier aggregation
Ericsson and Emirati telco du tested 10 carriers per sector on a live 5G network, achieving up to 16.7 gigabits per second (Gbps) aggregated downlink speed, the vendor said in a release. The trial was carried out using du’s live network without relying on test nodes.
The implementation is based on Ericsson 5G SA New Radio-Dual Connectivity (NR-DC) and carrier aggregation to combine 8 carriers of millimeter wave (mmWave) and 2 carriers of mid-band.
Leveraging Ericsson Radio System products, including AIR 6419, and mmWave band, this achievement paves the way for an increased network capacity that will provide existing Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) users with differentiated experiences and will provide new opportunities for augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) and cloud gaming, the Swedish vendor said.
Saleem Alblooshi, CTO at du, said: “At du, we aim to take connectivity to the next level to fit the future of the United Arab Emirates and we are happy to announce that we have achieved a record by deploying 10 carriers’ aggregation over 5G SA live network to reach 16.7 Gbps.”
“Demonstrating the power of 5G Standalone, this trial involving our new radio dual connectivity and carrier aggregation solutions sets the scene for a future of innovative applications and services in the United Arab Emirates that will change the way we connect,” said Nicolas Blixell, vice president and head of Ericsson Gulf Council countries at Ericsson Middle East and Africa.
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Ericsson and du had recently announced a strategic partnership under which Ericsson will provide its private 5G networks with the aim of enabling smart services to the government and enterprise sectors in the United Arab Emirates.
Under this partnership, and du will join forces to create advanced private 4G and 5G networks to enhance connectivity for government and enterprise customers in the Arab country.
The Arab carrier had recently inked other partnerships to boost connectivity across the country. Nokia and du had previously announced the conclusion of what they claimed to be UAE’s first 5G-Advanced 5G RedCap trial over a commercial network.
The partners said that this recent trial showcased the readiness of du’s 5G network for innovative use cases in areas such as the Internet of Things (IoT), wearables and Industry 4.0 to address 5G monetization challenges.
In January, du had partnered with satellite operator Intelsat, with the aim of expanding cellular connectivity across the UAE. Through the collaboration with Intelsat, du said that it will be able to provide mobile coverage in areas that were previously out of reach.