TPG, Samsung complete trials of 5G vRAN

TPG Telecom and Samsung have completed trials of 5G virtualised radio access network (RAN) technology on the 26 GHz band.

The trial, which was announced in July, was said to be the first to use 5G vRAN and integrated millimetre wave (mmWave) solutions on the frequency band in Australia. It was conducted on a cluster of sites attached to Samsung’s virtualised core at TPG Telecom’s Innovation Lab in Glebe.

Samsung provided 5G solutions including its Compact Macro integrated mmWave product. This hardware can be installed on the sides of buildings as well as utility poles for the swift construction of 5G networks. It combines a baseband, radio and antenna in a single form factor.

During the trial, TPG and Samsung tested scenarios designed to simulate real-life user experiences.

The trial achieved a peak user throughput of 2.3 Gbps using 400 MHz of spectrum on 26 GHz and demonstrated over 4 Gbps in cell throughput with Samsung’s multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output (MU-MIMO) technology. The companies also recorded steady speeds above 1 Gbps in non-line-of sight connections to equipment around 1 km away.

“By combining our spectrum assets with smart engineering, we are able to achieve far greater spectral efficiency than what we have seen from others in the industry,” said TPG Telecom Executive General Manager Mobile and Fixed Networks Barry Kezik.

“This is a great result and shows that innovative engineering and smart network design can help extend our reach, while also delivering great speeds and an excellent experience for customers.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Blue Planet Studio