Samsung breaks 5G speed record

Samsung has reached 5G speeds of up to 7.5Gbps while in a stationary environment and 1.2Gbps while moving at 100km/h, setting two major milestones in the development of 5G data transmission.

Samsung Electronics has announced two industry-first milestones in the development of 5G telecommunications networking technology, as the company clocked 7.5Gbps, or 940MB per second, the fastest-ever 5G data transmission rate while in a stationary environment. The company was also the first to achieve uninterrupted and stable connection at 1.2Gbps, or 150MB per second, in a mobile environment from a vehicle travelling at over 100km/h.

We will continue to build upon these milestones and develop advanced technologies that contribute to the 5G standard,” said Craige Fleischer, Director of Mobile Communications at Samsung Electronics SA. “In addition to leveraging our own global R&D capabilities, we will also continue to cooperate with other industry leaders and research centres across the world. Whether you are talking about mobile devices, the cloud, or the Internet of Things, the demand for 5G telecommunications standard and its supporting technologies will continue to grow.

In addition to sheer numbers, Samsung’s recent stationary test was also the industry’s first successful 5G test that was conducted in an outdoor setting. Previous successful 5G tests throughout the industry have been conducted in stabilised, indoor environments, including laboratories. Meanwhile, the mobile test took 5G testing to another level, as it was conducted from a vehicle racing at high speeds on a 4.35km professional outdoor race track.

Both the stationary and mobile tests were conducted over a 28GHz 5G network. Until now, the industry as a whole has not used higher frequencies, such as 28GHz, despite their speed-related benefits, due to the likes of short communication range. However, Samsung overcame these obstacles through the company’s own Hybrid Adaptive Array Technology, which uses millimetre wave frequency bands to enable the use of higher frequencies over greater distances. While the 5G standard has yet to be ratified, 5G networks are expected to offer data transmission rates that are tens, if not hundreds, of times greater than 4G LTE.

The recent milestones were also a seven-fold increase upon testing results from May 2013, when the company became the industry’s first to achieve 1Gbps over a 28GHz 5G network.

While Samsung maintains its focus on technical developments, the company has also continued to engage other industry members in discussions, including those through standard-setting organisations, to help steer the overall direction of 5G development. Most recently, Samsung proposed the 5G Rainbow to other industry members. The 5G Rainbow identified seven core technical pillars of 5G technology that would truly ensure a differentiated 5G user experience. These pillars are maximum data rate, spectral efficiency, speed of mobility, and data transmission rate at the cell boundary, the number of simultaneous connections, communication delays, and cost. In order to address these technical needs, Samsung has already been developing a diverse range of key technologies, such as transmission technologies for high frequency bands, multiple access schemes and low latency networks.

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