The announcement follows the launch of Samsung’s Networks Business in Australia in April 2021,  and since then, the company has been exploring the delivery of Samsung’s leading 5G mmWave technologies to the nation.

TPG Telecom, a leading mobile network operator in Australia, operates a number of leading mobile and internet brands in Australia including Vodafone. Recently, TPG Telecom announced its investment of AU$108 million to acquire spectrum in all available license areas in the 26GHz band – tripling its total spectrum holdings. With abundant mmWave spectrum, TPG Telecom will be able to offer high speed data services and immersive use cases for its mobile and home users. TPG Telecom’s extensive fiber assets combined with a network of small cells will enable the deployment of vRAN architecture.

For the trial, Samsung will provide its Compact Macro and vRAN solution. Samsung’s latest 5G Compact Macro brings together a baseband, radio and antenna in a single form-factor. This compact and lightweight solution can be easily installed on the sides of buildings, as well as on utility poles, for the swift build-out of 5G networks. Samsung’s industry-leading commercial vRAN solution is built on the company’s independently developed stack, and runs on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. As a leader in vRAN, Samsung has commercially deployed its vRAN solution in wide scale for global Tier 1 operators’ networks in markets outside of Australia, and recently expanded its capability to support 3.5GHz Massive MIMO radio, which many industry voices had said would be hard to support with vRAN. Moreover, Samsung’s 5G vRAN on mmWave, already commercially deployed in global markets, including Korea, Japan and the U.S, has the capacity to support multi-gigabit speeds, delivering IT technology efficiencies and deployment advantages, while offering transformational 5G mobile experiences.

“We are very pleased to partner with Samsung as part of our new Innovation Lab to drive product and technology innovation by trialing virtualization,” said Iñaki Berroeta, CEO at TPG Telecom.

“Deploying mmWave spectrum on our 5G network together with vRAN architecture will allow us to develop exciting 5G use cases for industry verticals and enable the delivery of even faster speeds and greater capacity for our customers.”

“Samsung is excited to begin this trial with TPG Telecom powered by our innovative 5G vRAN solution and latest integrated 26GHz mmWave product, which will be the first in Australia,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through a combination of our powerful 5G solutions and ongoing efforts in 5G development, Samsung looks forward to helping TPG Telecom gain the full benefits of 5G to reshape the value of mobile experiences for users and enterprises.”

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

The announcement follows the recent launch of Samsung’s networks operations, Samsung Networks Business, in Australia. Samsung will offer 5G radios, including 5G Compact Macro, the industry’s first 5G NR radio for mmWave spectrum, which has since been widely deployed in the U.S.

Samsung and PLUS ES, will collaborate to install Samsung’s equipment to existing infrastructure and facilities. Samsung’s 5G radios, for example, are predominantly attached to street lights or power poles. PLUS ES’s existing electrical infrastructure and expertise in this area will support the installation of Samsung’s 5G solutions and execute several trial sites in the coming months.

PLUS ES is a leading telecommunications infrastructure provider in Australia. The company manages a considerable footprint nationally, including 600-plus macro and micro cells, and 1600km of fibre under management – and is known for successfully delivering 15 small-cell 5G sites for the Commonwealth Games.

“Our collaboration with PLUS ES is a major step in the right direction as we continue deploying our mmWave technology in Australia and unlock the vast amount of potential that exists in 5G technology,” said Garry McGregor, Vice President at Samsung Electronics Australia. “PLUS ES has a considerable footprint in Australia and is a leading and respected infrastructure vendor. We are truly delighted to merge the power of our solutions.

“We are working hard with several local partners to continue deploying our mmWave technology at speed and scale, and our collaboration with PLUS ES is an example of the ground that we are making. It is a significant step in our mission to support the nation’s digital transformation with next generation networks technology,” added McGregor.

Commenting on the partnership, Jason Clark, Executive General Manager, Emerging Energy Solutions at PLUS ES, said: “Samsung has achieved considerable traction in the international mmWave market. It’s a leading industry solutions provider and is arguably the next disruptor in the local market after its launch in Australia in April.

“Samsung becomes a preferred partner of PLUS ES and, with its 5G mmWave solution –  5G Compact Macro – being AC powered, as well as its integrated antenna, radio and baseband unit, its simple deployment on existing power supplies and infrastructure mean we’re in a position to roll out quickly and at scale.”

Samsung is a global leader in 5G network solutions and aims to support the future of 5G and network connectivity in Australia. The recent launch of Samsung’s Networks Business followed the successful commercial deployments of 5G networks by mobile operators globally, using Samsung’s latest 5G solutions.

Samsung Networks has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.