This brings TPG and Samsung Networks closer to offering Australian customers access to competitive connection speeds for 5G, and further showcases Samsung’s commitment to networks and 5G infrastructure in Australia.

This initial trial, which was announced in July this year, was the first trial on 5G vRAN and integrated mmWave solutions in 26GHz frequency in Australia. It was carried out on a cluster of sites attached to Samsung’s virtualised Core at TPG Telecom’s Innovation Lab and field in Glebe, with Samsung’s 5G solutions including vRAN and integrated mmWave product — Compact Macro. This high-powered, lightweight and compact solution, which brings together a baseband, radio and antenna in a single form-factor, can be easily installed on the sides of buildings as well as utility poles for the swift build-out of 5G networks. Moreover, the company’s commercial vRAN on mmWave is already deployed in global markets, including Japan, Korea and the U.S., and it has the capacity to support multi-gigabit speeds, while offering transformational 5G mobile experiences.

Through the trial, TPG and Samsung have successfully tested various scenarios designed to simulate the real-life user experience when connected to TPG’s 5G network, using Samsung’s cutting-edge 5G solutions. The trial resulted in speeds with a peak user throughput of 2.3Gbps using 400MHz of spectrum on 26GHz and demonstrated over 4Gbps in cell throughput with Samsung’s Multi-User, Multiple-Input, Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technology. The trial also achieved a steady rate above 1Gbps user throughput in non-line-of-sight scenarios approximately 1km 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.”

Commenting on the successful trial, Garry McGregor, Vice President, Mobile Division, Samsung Electronics Australia, said: “This is a significant step forward for the Samsung Networks business in Australia, towards realising the full potential of 5G and reshaping the value of mobile experiences for users and enterprises alike.”

“The goal of this trial was to test the capabilities of Samsung’s 5G solutions, including its cutting-edge 5G vRAN, in a range of settings. We have now successfully achieved that, which presents us with the exciting opportunity of continuing to elevate and support 5G network infrastructure in this country. Successfully deploying and conducting the trial even with the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, were a real achievement and show the commitment from both TPG and Samsung to delivering best in class 5G infrastructure.”

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.

Samsung Electronics Australia, in partnership with Tech Research Asia (TRA), has today announced the launch of 5G for Business in Australia, a research report and whitepaper designed to explore how the advent of 5G networks, devices and services can support the goals of Australian businesses. The report also explores perceptions, awareness and levels of understanding that Australian business hold in relation to the availability and advent of 5G mobile technology.

5G for Business in Australia research methodology delved into the views of more than 800 technology decision makers from a cross-section of industries to help shape a view of how businesses are considering the implications of 5G and their readiness to adopt.

The report revealed that almost a quarter (24%) of businesses in Australia intend to adopt 5G services for business in the coming 18 months, with almost 80% of Australian businesses set to adopt 5G related mobility services within the next three years. These findings set the tone for the potential roadmap of adoption of 5G by Australian businesses.

Danny Mandrides, Head of Enterprise and Government, IT and Mobile, Samsung Electronics Australia said: “There is no doubt that 5G is both a trigger and an engine that will transform the way Australians live and work, but also how businesses operate in an increasingly mobile driven economy. Now more than ever before Australian businesses are telling us that they demand the bandwidth, stability, and opportunities that 5G will bring.

“At Samsung, we want to help ensure our customers and partners develop the best possible approach to adopting the latest in network and device services and this includes building our respective understanding for how innovations in 5G can help break barriers and solve real challenges for Australian organisations,” Mandrides added.

The report also explores the potential concerns and barriers that organisations are considering in relation to 5G, as well as the perceived benefits of the greater 5G connectivity, network availability, and device capability that it will offer workforces.

Key findings have also revealed a keen interest in the potential applications of 5G mobile devices, as well as Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). Approximately 37% of Australian businesses are taking a “Considered” approach to 5G adoption, while 24% are being either “Aggressive” (at 12%) or “Opportunistic” (at 12%) in terms of rapid or early adoption of 5G respectively. 18% of participants said that their adoption plans would be “Gradual” and in line with network deployments while 16% stated that they have no specific strategy until 5G is “Ubiquitous”. Just 4% of respondents classified their approach to 5G in a “Deliberation” stage where they are needing to determine the actual benefits and availability of 5G.

Tim Dillon, Founder and Director at TRA said: “Australian businesses are at the global forefront in terms of their position to be leaders in exploring new territories and capabilities associated with 5G powered products and services. We will see rapid change in the coming years for how people bolster their business operations and strategy with 5G powered services.

“There is naturally a degree of intrigue, interest, excitement, and keenness from businesses to understand how they should be thinking about what the future may bring, which is why it’s critical they build their understanding of 5G and develop a plan that can be actioned to deliver solid outcomes and avoid potential pitfalls or redundant investments,” Dillon added.

Australian businesses recognised that the benefit of 5G extends beyond speed, including other major capabilities such as edge computing, multi-device connectivity, low network latency and network slicing. Organisations see 5G enhancing their current and future operations in areas including customer engagement, data access and management, supporting cloud services consumption and facilitation of intelligent workplaces.

“It’s incredibly important for Samsung to ensure that we understand the needs of Australian business and where our 5G enabled products, solutions, and partnerships can provide value and enrich their operations in next stage of our mobile economy,” Mandrides added.

5G for Business in Australia includes a 5G readiness checklist designed to help businesses better understand the key factors involved in making decisions related to the next stage in network connectivity. The checklist considers the role and impact of devices, network deployment, existing and planned digital strategies, workplace environments, compliance and other key elements that businesses may wish to take into account.

Australian businesses recognise the need for 5G services

68% of Australian businesses feel that their operations are constrained by current network performance, and 60% of businesses feel there is a need for 5G services to meet business needs above current 4G connectivity.

While early 5G solutions implemented by businesses will focus on bandwidth-centric approaches, the report has indicated that they will seek to quickly develop and integrate higher value-added solutions such as slicing and edge computing. These solutions present the opportunity to implement IoT, AI-supported decision-making tools, predictive analytics and real-time data.

Despite the strong rates of expected adoption, the report identified that 1 in 2 (50%) of Australian businesses feel they require additional information to understand exactly why 5G is a better solution than current 4G. Businesses are also anticipating some challenges during the adoption of 5G services, specifically around pricing, device availability and network coverage.

In addition to research and insights, Samsung has announced that it is already collaborating with a number of Australian organisations in relation to trial mobility programs that involve 5G.

5G is already impacting Australian business through collaboration with Samsung:

Improved customer service and engagement in the consumer banking sector: A major Australian bank is trialling 5G branch connectivity linked to smartphones and Samsung’s DeX solution, ensuring seamless connectivity and information access for its mobile customer service and banking employees.

Data management, information access, health and safety/asset protection for government and emergency services: An Australian AI company that has created 5G connected drones to undertake aerial surveillance of areas under bush fire threat equipped with AI to identify issues and assets on the ground in real-time to assist emergency service and fire crews.

Intelligent workstyles, costs reductions and efficiencies in the manufacturing sector: A production site connecting multiple device sensors combined with AI analytics to a smart device dashboard app that provides real-time information on manufacturing performance and quality to reduce defects and materials costs.

How Australian businesses can be 5G ready

Every organisation is different and will take a unique approach to adoption. The 5G for Business in Australia report advises businesses to consider several factors to inform its approach to the adoption of 5G technology.

Businesses should:

1.     Understand network deployment and handset availability

2.     Determine unique device needs

3.     Understand the service provider’s 5G strategy

4.     Consider how 5G compliments the company’s overall digital strategy

5.     Determine all possible business cases

6.     Understand how future data needs may change

To read the full 5G for Business in Australia report including its methodology, please visit:

http://www.samsung.com/au/business/5g

About the 5G for Business in Australia report

Tech Research Asia surveyed 813 IT and Line of Business decision-makers in Australian organisations in May 2019. To develop this report, TRA also interviewed CXO-level representatives from 25 Australian and international organisations to understand their view of 5G, goals, business focus and activities.