Additionally, across a distance of 10km, the company also achieved record-setting average downlink speeds of 1.75Gbps and uplink speeds of 61.5Mbps. To achieve average downlink speeds of 1.75Gbps at such extended range, the trial by Samsung and nbn utilized eight component carriers (8CC), which is an aggregation of 800MHz of mmWave spectrum. The potential to support large amounts of bandwidth is a key advantage of the mmWave spectrum and Samsung’s beamforming technology enables the aggregation of such large amounts of bandwidth at long distance. At its peak, the company also reached a top downlink speed of 2.7Gbps over a 10km distance from the radio.

“The results of these trials with Samsung are a significant milestone and demonstrate how we are pushing the boundaries of innovation in support of the digital capabilities in Australia,” said Ray Owen, Chief Technology Officer at NBN Co. “As we roll out the next evolution of our network to extend its reach for the benefit of homes and businesses across the country, we are excited to demonstrate the potential for 5G mmWave. nbn will be among the first in the world to deploy 5G mmWave technology at this scale, and achievements like Samsung’s 10km milestone will pave the way for further developments in the ecosystem.”

As part of a AUD $750 million investment in the nbn Fixed Wireless network (made up of AUD $480 million from the Australian Government and supported by an additional AUD $270 million from nbn), nbn will use software enhancements and advances in 5G technology, and in particular 5G mmWave technology, to extend the reach of the existing fixed wireless footprint by up to 50 percent and introduce two new wholesale high-speed tiers.

“This new 5G record proves the massive potential of mmWave technology, and its ability to deliver enhanced connectivity and capacity for addressing the last mile challenges in rural areas,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of R&D, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are excited to work with nbn to push the boundaries of 5G technology even further in Australia and tap the power of mmWave for customer benefit.”

As demonstrated in the trials, 5G mmWave spectrum is not only viable for the deployment of high-capacity 5G networks in dense urban areas, but also for wider FWA coverage. Extending the effective range of 5G data signals on mmWave will help address the connectivity gap, providing access to rural and remote areas where fiber cannot reach.

For the trial, Samsung used its 28GHz Compact Macro and third-party 5G mmWave customer premise equipment (CPE). Samsung’s Compact Macro is the industry’s first integrated radio for mmWave spectrum, bringing together a baseband, radio and antenna into a single form factor. This compact and lightweight solution can support all frequencies within the mmWave spectrum, simplifying deployment, and is currently deployed in commercial 5G networks across the globe, including Japan, Korea and the U.S.

Since launching the world’s first 5G mmWave FWA services in 2018 in the U.S., Samsung has been leading the industry, offering an end-to-end portfolio of 5G mmWave solutions — including in-house chipsets and radios — and advancing the 5G mmWave momentum globally.

The nbn^® network is Australia’s digital backbone that helps deliver reliable and resilient broadband across a continent spanning more than seven million square kilometers. nbn is committed to responding to the digital connectivity needs of people across Australia, working with industry, governments, regulators and community partners to lift the digital capability of Australia.

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 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 two companies started their 5G collaboration in 2018 with a 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) trial in Cluj county, Romania, where Orange mobile customers became the first European users to experience at home 5G services. Now, the companies are ramping up their efforts to bring the benefits of 5G to users in Romania.

At Untold, which drew over 335,000 attendants last year, Orange Romania and Samsung have set up 5G use cases to offer immersive experiences powered by the 5G network’s ultra-low latency and ultra-high speed, unfolding the potential of the next generation technology for all to see. The demonstrations include real-time streaming of the performances, captured by 360-degree cameras built onto the arena’s main stage. The stream is shown at an Orange VR zone set up outside the arena, providing a uniquely immersive viewing experience to fans who visit. The companies are also holding an event demonstrating 5G download speeds reaching above 1Gbps, with a latency reduction of 50% on that experienced when using current LTE technology.

“With these successful demonstrations, we are showcasing the experiences that 5G can bring to Orange customers in Romania,” said Emmanuel Chautard, Chief Technology Officer at Orange Romania. “Together with Samsung, we’re showing live network capabilities, with proof that goes beyond just impressive speeds more centered on the customer experience.”

“5G offers more than just a faster connection; it enables transformative use cases that will benefit people and businesses across the industry,” said GY Seo, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “These joint demonstrations allow for a glimpse into the new kinds of services and capabilities that will be made possible as we unlock the potential of 5G for users across Europe.”

The trial at Cluj Arena, where the festival is taking place, makes use of Samsung’s latest solutions, including 5G Massive MIMO Units (MMUs), which support the 3.4-3.8GHz frequency band. Samsung 5G MMUs have already been rolled out across Korea by all three Korean 5G operators for use with their 5G commercial service, which launched in April of 2019. This commercially proven MMU is one of the smallest and lightest in the industry, making installation in existing cellular sites very straightforward.

Following the recently signed agreement by the companies, the trial – which has already started the first week of February – will last for five months across multiple residences and offices in Milan, the second largest city in Italy.

In the first week of the trial – held on 26GHz of spectrum recently acquired by Fastweb during Italy’s 5G frequencies auction in October 2018 – download speeds reached 1 Gbps. The next steps of the trial will verify the effectiveness of 5G FWA networks concerning the cost and time for its deployment compared to conventional FTTH roll-out as well as potential operational challenges in the provision of the service to the end customers.

Samsung supplies Fastweb with an end-to-end 5G FWA solution that includes core, 5G Radio Access Units that leverages millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum to provide high-density coverage and ultra-high-bandwidth connectivity to 5G home routers (Indoor Customer Premise Equipment), installed in nearby homes or offices.

Samsung’s compact 5G Access Units are easy to rapidly deploy, while the CPE is self-installing. This gives 5G Fixed Wireless considerable advantages over comparable FTTH or FTTB (Fiber-to-the- Building) deployments in terms of service rollout times and costs to both the service provider and the subscriber. At the same time, the service is robust – able to deliver gigabit broadband speeds to neighbourhoods – and can very easily be extended to support new services in the future.

“We are excited to deliver the first 5G FWA end-to-end connectivity in Italy with Fastweb to bring the next generation speed to users,” said Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung will work with Fastweb to turn the vast potentials of 5G FWA using 26GHz into true benefits for both customers and enterprises.”

“This trial has already confirmed the outstanding performances of 5G FWA and the capability of this technology to provide a “fiber-like” ultrabroadband service to families and business in areas not reached by FTTH. To accomplish our mission of addressing the market needs and enhancing user experience, we will leverage 5G FWA to expand the coverage of our proprietary ultra-broadband infrastructure,” said Alberto Calcagno, CEO Fastweb.

“We are confident that with this trial with Samsung, we can demonstrate both the technical and commercial feasibility of mmWave FWA in Italy.”

Fastweb is moving forward with these tests because Italy offers the ideal conditions for 5G FWA technology to power domestic broadband, thanks to fiber being widely available at cabinet level, making it easier to deploy antennas for 5G FWA at ideal distance from the buildings. Furthermore, TV antennas are pre-installed on 99 percent of the roofs, facilitating easy installation of additional equipment. After the tests are successful, Fastweb will usher in a new generation of connectivity to Italy.

About Fastweb

With 2.5 million wireline customers and 1.5 million mobile customers, Fastweb is a major Italian telecom operator, providing a wide range of voice and data services, on wireline and wireless networks, to families and businesses. Since its creation in 1999, the company has focused on innovation and infrastructures to provide high quality ultra-broadband connectivity. Thanks to the continuous expansion of its ultrabroadband network, Fastweb today reaches 22 million households, of which 8 with a proprietary infrastructure, with connection speeds of up to 1 Gigabit.

Mobile World Live TV is the video broadcast service that provides telecommunications content throughout MWC each year. This year marks the first trial of 5G live broadcasting in the history of Mobile World Live TV.

Throughout the broadcast, Samsung’s 5G solutions will be used, which are composed of a radio access unit (5G Radio) and a 5G router (CPE), powering the content shot by the High Definition Television Video (HDTV) camera at the booth of Mobile World Live TV located in Broadcast Village, Gran Via.

Previously, fiber-based backhaul was used for transmission from Mobile World Live TV’s booth to its production facility. This year’s transmission will be supported by Samsung’s 5G network, which is effective in overcoming the physical limitations of a fiber-based network. 5G broadcast offers ultra-low latency for the transmission of large files such as video content.

“We are thrilled to demonstrate how our latest technology can make an outstanding difference in creating new possibilities for broadcast at MWC19 Barcelona, the largest trade show in the mobile industry,” said GY Seo, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is committed to meeting market demands of larger capacity and ultra-low latency attributed to the advancement of the entertainment industry.”

“Mobile World Live TV has a history of using mobile technology to power its broadcast, with 4G cameras supporting live transmission from across Fira Gran Via and the city of Barcelona in previous years. For 2019 we are excited to broadcast using Samsung’s 5G network, enabling true seamless transmission without latency,” said Justin Springham, Director of Media Content and Broadcast, GSMA. “Mobile World Live TV and Samsung will be at the forefront of offering immersive user experiences thanks to this 5G broadcast.”

As the power of broadcasting lies with immediate engagement and interaction with viewers, the network used for broadcasting a live channel should be able to support seamless transmission of high-quality and large-capacity content via televisions and other electronic devices without experiencing latency. User experiences with broadcast are essential in determining the capabilities of 5G network solutions to support live broadcast more broadly in the future.

Meanwhile, following its world’s first complete commercialization of 5G FWA solutions, comprised of 5G radio (access unit and virtualized RAN), 5G routers and next-generation core in February 2018, Samsung brought one of the smallest integrated FCC-certified 5G radio base stations and 5G home routers (CPEs) to the market. In addition to its successful commercialization of 5G services across the U.S., Samsung has been selected by one of the major Korean operators as a 5G vendor.

Mobile World Live TV is the GSMA’s award-winning broadcast service of MWC19 Barcelona. It airs from 4pm CET Sunday 24 February through 4pm Thursday 28 February. For more information visit http://www.mobileworldlive.com.

For further information on Samsung’s 5G solutions at MWC19 Barcelona, please visit: https://www.samsung.com/global/business/networks/insights/event/mobile-world-congress-2019/

A recent vote, held at the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) in Sophia Antipolis, France, saw Suresh Chitturi (front row, fifth from right) elected as the new Chairman of the 3GPP SA6 Working Group.

Mr. Suresh Chitturi, Director for Standards at the Samsung Research Institute in Bangalore, was recently elected as new Chairman of the 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Service and System Aspect 6 (SA6) Working Group by acclamation in Sophia Antipolis, France.

The 3GPP is a collaborative project aimed at developing global standards for acceptable specifications of telecommunications networks. The project is comprised of three Technical Specification Groups (TSGs), under which 16 Working Groups oversee specifications for each sector. In addition to Mr. Chitturi, new Chairman of SA6, other Samsung officials currently serving in elected roles on the 3GPP include one TSG Chairman, two Chairman of Working Groups, and two Vice-Chairman. For his part, Mr. Chitturi will lead the SA6 Working Group for the next two years.

For its part, the SA6 is a key working group responsible for the development of application layer standards. Since its inception in 2014, SA6 has played a significant role in the development of Mission Critical Applications Standards across Long-Term Evolution (LTE), a global standard widely adopted by public safety agencies and other critical communication industry verticals. The Standards enable the use of push-to-talk voice, video and data communications for public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) operations over broadband networks.

“Providing leadership to 3GPP SA6 Working Group, especially in this era of new mobile communications, is a unique opportunity. We at Samsung value the importance of the activity of 3GPP and SA6 in creating a robust platform for future 5G services, leading up to the era of 5G commercialization,” said Mr. Chitturi.

Mr. Chitturi currently serves as the Director for Standards at the Samsung Research Institute in Bangalore, India.

While there is a significant industry effort to develop the new 5G standard, which is scheduled to be ready by June this year, the focus on 5G services will be far more critical to the applications of 5G technology. Mission Critical Application Standards, which apply to the essential systems critical to the survival of a business or organization, will remain a key responsibility of SA6 Working Group particularly in the move towards diverse applications of 5G. For instance, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), smart factories, as well as 5G service application programming interface (API) frameworks will allow 3^rd party verticals to leverage the rich capabilities of the 5G core network and new radio.

Prior to being elected Chairman, Mr. Chitturi served as Vice-Chairman of SA6 Working Group, providing key contribution to the timely completion of Mission Critical Standards to meet the needs of the Critical Communications industry. Mr. Chitturi also represents Samsung on the Governing Council of TSDSI, the India Telecom Standards Development Organization (SDO), and has previously held leadership positions in several other SDOs such as World Wide Web (W3C), Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), Java Community Process (JCP), and the GSM Association (GSMA).

In addition to the appointment of Mr. Chitturi, Mr. Aris Papasakellariou, Senior Director of Standards at Samsung Research America, received the 2017 3GPP Excellence Award earlier this month for his outstanding contributions in the field of radio access technology for 5G.

Samsung continues its significant contribution and progress in making 5G a reality, with advancements including introduction of the world’s first 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) commercial solutions at MWC 2018, as well as being selected as supplier by many of the world’s leading carrier companies.

This is the fourth time an employee of Samsung received the prestigious award. On this occasion, it was presented to Aris Papasakellariou, a Senior Director of Standards at Samsung Research America, in recognition of his contributions in the field of radio access technology for 5G.

Each year, the award is presented to four individuals who have made outstanding technical contributions to the development of next generation mobile broadband standards in 3GPP. An estimated 1,500 researchers are participating in the 3GPP working group.

“Beyond an individual recognition, this is a validation of the proactive participation taken by Samsung in bringing about future network standards,” said Aris Papasakellariou. “Samsung’s team of engineers will continue its contribution to mobile broadband standardizations and help provide the platform for 3GPP NR (New Radio) and 5G connectivity.”

Samsung has made big strides to making 5G a reality, unveiling the world’s first 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) commercial solutions at MWC 2018 while announcing its collaboration with global network providers. Samsung was selected to supply Verizon with commercial 5G FWA network solutions. The two companies will begin by launching commercial 5G services in Sacramento, California in the second half of 2018. Samsung is collaborating with Charter Communications on 5G trials in the U.S. while Sprint announced that it would deploy Samsung’s 5G solutions to increase Gigabit speeds and capacity.

A Strong Foundation Lays the Groundwork for Convenient 5G Technology

Unveiled at the event was a chipset supporting 28 GHz, a 5G spectrum, home devices, base stations and network core equipment. Samsung’s 5G devices, when installed in homes or enterprises, will automatically be recognized by 5G base stations and provided with ultra-fast broadband service of up to 1Gbps, while the network core equipment is responsible for resource management and real-time data traffic distribution.

Central to the initial phase of 5G is the notion of an ecosystem – an ecosystem that covers manufacturers of chipsets, devices and other equipment. Samsung stands out as a key player in the industry with end-to-end solutions that deal with each aspect of this 5G network cycle, enabling early 5G commercialization and stable service quality. This is precisely why Verizon, the largest mobile network operator in the U.S. and an industry leader when it comes to 5G commercialization, has selected Samsung as its vendor.

snow

“What it means for a single company to be able to provide chips, devices and equipment is that it can optimize 5G and bring out the best of this new exciting technology all by itself,” said Tim Baxter, President of Samsung Electronics America. “Beginning this year, we plan on peeling off the layers, one by one, to show how a connected world built by a full 5G commercial product lineup will unfold before our eyes.”

Six Years of R&D Finally Coming to Fruition

Samsung has demonstrated its technological expertise throughout the evolution of communications – from 2G to 3G and 4G. Indeed, the company was the first to commercialize CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access) during the 2G era. Samsung was also at the forefront of 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) innovation as a key vendor in technologically advanced markets such as the US, Japan, Korea and the UK. Its business has now expanded into rapidly developing India, where Samsung is the sole vendor of the country’s 4G LTE nationwide network.

Samsung has been convinced of the potential that the millimeter wave spectrum holds since 2012, and has been investing in 5G R&D ever since. These efforts have resulted in the successful development of beamforming technology that supports directional signal transmission or reception. Based on this achievement, a technology that enables transmission speeds of over 1Gbps and is capable of covering distances of up to 2 kilometers using a 28 GHz band was developed and demonstrated in May of 2013.

In October of 2014, for the first time in the industry’s history, Samsung Electronics took 5G technology out of the lab and demonstrated its use in a vehicle moving at 100 km/h

In 2014, a seamless data transmission speed of 1.2Gpbs was achieved during a demonstration held in a vehicle moving at 100 km/h. It was the time that 5G technology had reached Gbps-level speed in a mobile environment. When the vehicle was stationary, the speeds reached 7.5Gbps, which was another new record.

That was directly followed by the first successful demonstration of 5G handover technology, which has allowed Samsung to further accelerate 5G’s commercialization. Handover is regarded as a critical technology for networks as it signifies seamless coverage for smart devices when a user moves between base stations. In March of 2016, Samsung became the first in the industry to successfully accomplish a multi-cell handover demonstration by achieving Gbps-level connectivity while a vehicle moved across three 5G base stations at 25 km/h.

In September of 2017, Samsung demonstrated seamless connectivity with a vehicle traveling at over 200 km/h, as well as a successful handover with a vehicle moving at 192 km/h. These remarkable achievements proved that the application of 5G on high-speed trains was a feasible concept.

Around this time, Samsung also successfully proved the capabilities of a 4G-5G intertwined network that binds together three spectrums by linking a 4G LTE network that utilizes the 2.6 GHz band with a 5G network that uses the 28 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands. Interworking between different-generation networks is recognized in the industry as a prerequisite for fostering 5G commercialization.

Accelerating the 5G Era with Operators Worldwide

By nature, telecommunications service can only begin once an operator has acquired the rights to use a particular spectrum from its government and established infrastructure with its vendor. It is absolutely crucial that the service allows multiple users to simultaneously enjoy seamless connection anywhere and anytime. 5G commercialization is no exception to this rule; cooperation between operators, equipment vendors and device manufacturers is a must.

Samsung has been focusing on intensifying its technical and business bonds with operators in markets with advanced 5G adoption such as Korea, the US and Japan. The US is the first country to have acquired the 28 GHz spectrum, and it plans on launching FWA (fixed wireless access) service using 5G technology in the second half of this year. Samsung is in the midst of carrying out 5G trial services in key US cities together with Verizon and has already deployed 5G networks in seven of the eleven cities – Sacramento included – where Verizon provides its service. To add to the list are the 5G trials being carried out in Indiana with AT&T, as well as another with T-Mobile.

Korea is quickly gaining recognition as a testbed for the latest technologies. In September of 2017, together with the Korean telecommunications operator SK Telecom, Samsung successfully demonstrated, for the first time ever, how 4G and 5G networks can interwork with one another.

Japan has targeted the year 2020 for 5G commercialization, to coincide with a large-scale sporting event that will be held in Tokyo. Together with the country’s leading operator, NTT DOCOMO, Samsung successfully demonstrated the 5G technology in a vehicle traveling at high speed in November of 2016. With KDDI, another key operator in Japan, Samsung conducted a 5G demonstration on a Tokyo highway in February of last year. In December of the same year, the joint efforts extended into a 5G test held on a high-speed train.

Also collaborating with Samsung to accelerate 5G commercialization is the French operator Orange. Together with Korea Telecom and Verizon, Samsung has also established the specifications required for 5G trial services in Korea, as well as commercial FWA service in the U.S.

“Samsung has always been an active promoter of international cooperation with its 5G total solutions at the root,” said Wonil Roh, Vice President and Head of the Technology Strategy Group, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “These experiences are a validation of why operators worldwide find Samsung to be the most ideal partner for 5G network establishment.”

As early as the second half of 2018, people in the U.S. will be among the first to experience commercial 5G services, thanks to the recent agreement between Samsung and Verizon. The agreement, which outlines Samsung’s supply of 5G technology-based Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network solutions to the largest mobile network operator in the U.S., has enabled the initiation of 5G services to begin two years earlier than the industry had originally forecasted.

5G FWA stands out as a key technology that allows for the supply of connectivity services (in Gigabit speeds) through radio spectrum, without requiring the deployment of copper and optical fiber networks. Samsung and Verizon will introduce the service during the second half of this year in Sacramento. The companies expect to increase the number of households that use the FWA service to 30 million in the coming years.

The Worldwide Race for 5G Commercialization

However, the U.S. is not the only country looking to charge into the 5G era. Samsung has been closely collaborating with Korean operators, and recently, the company demonstrated the potential of 5G through various trial services. In nearby Japan, a number of major mobile operators will invest a combined 5 trillion yen (USD 44.86 billion) to successfully provide nationwide 5G services by 2023. The country has further plans to commence 5G services in selected areas in 2020, when a large-scale sporting event will take place in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, telecommunications service providers, device manufacturers and government organizations across the world are conducting ongoing research to examine the scenarios for 5G networks, as the emergence of new generation telecommunications technology will provide unprecedented business opportunities in a variety of areas such as autonomous cars, robots and virtual reality (VR). Judging by the massive benefits that 5G is expected to bring, it is not surprising that many establishments aim to have 5G commercialized as early as possible.

“The 5G era is approaching much sooner than the industry initially anticipated, which was the year 2020,” said Dongsu Shin, Vice President and Head of Planning Group, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “We will drive the supply of 5G equipment so people across the globe can experience services generated by this new technology at the earliest opportunity.”

So How Exactly Does 5G Work?

In the near future, 5G will completely change how people use and communicate with technology. It will even change the manner in which different technologies communicate with each other. All this will take place faster and more reliably than ever before. As a result, downloads will take place at lightning speeds, autonomous vehicles will be safer thanks to faster reaction times, and industries will be transformed with new ways to connect machinery and stock.

The secret to 5G’s super-fast speeds, incredibly low latency and unsurpassed connectivity lies in its three key technologies: eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband), URLLC (Ultra Reliable & Low Latency Communications) and mMTC (massive Machine-Type Communications).

eMBB (enhanced Mobile Broadband): This is the technology that will enable users to download a 15GB full-length high-definition movie in 6 seconds. That is much faster than the 4 minutes it currently takes to download the same movie on a 4G connection.

With eMBB, large amounts of data may be transmitted at much higher speeds. 5G networks can provide peak data transmission speeds of up to 20Gbps (2.5GB of data transmitted per second).

URLLC (Ultra Reliable & Low Latency Communications): The aim with autonomous vehicles is to always make the driving experience as safe as possible. Thanks to URLLC, autonomous vehicle collisions will be less likely to occur in the 5G era, as there will only be a one-millisecond (ms) signal delay, and thus the car will only move a few centimeters before stopping when danger is detected. This is a huge leap from 4G, where the distance that a car travels before coming to a stop once danger is detected is a meter.

URLLC promises a stable network and the lowest possible latency to initiate connectivity. (The lower the latency – measured in milliseconds – the better the network performance.) It will enable one-millisecond latency between a user device and a network, compared to tens of milliseconds today. This is also especially useful for services that require real-time correspondence of networks, such as the remote control of robots, and real-time interactive games.

mMTC (massive Machine-Type Communications): This technology sets the foundation for an IoT (Internet of Things)-powered future where the majority of our devices will be connected. 5G will support mMTC, allowing machines (up to one million devices within an area of one square kilometer) to communicate with one another with only minimal human involvement.

mMTC will also support various industrial applications. For example, the modification of manufacturing processes based on real-time demands from consumers will be made possible via 5G connection modules incorporated into factory equipment. Furthermore, inventory organization will be improved while product defects will be reduced, thanks to the enhanced deep learning capabilities of robots connected via 5G.

MWC 2018: A Look into the Near Future of 5G

At the Samsung Networks booth at MWC 2018, Samsung is showcasing a wide array of 5G technologies, including the world’s first end-to-end 5G FWA (fixed wireless access) commercial solutions, and offering guests a glimpse at how user-centric 5G networks will soon transform our homes, cars, cities and more.

For example, the booth’s Transportation Solutions zone spotlights Samsung’s collaboration with Harman to develop TCU (Telematics Control Units) and RSU (Road Side Units) for autonomous cars. These provide lightning-fast data speeds that make it possible for passengers to enjoy ultra-high definition (UHD) videos, as well as instant access to a wealth of traffic, weather and other information. They also help minimize collisions by enabling cars to respond more quickly when detecting danger.

The exhibit also demonstrates how the company’s solutions powered the first demonstration of 5G connections on a high-speed train. The solutions, which achieved a peak speed of 1.7Gbps on a train traveling at over 100 kilometers per hour, supported the seamless streaming of 8K video and the uploading of 4K video, and may soon allow trains to benefit from superior passenger infotainment and increased security and analytics.

The Residential Solutions zone illustrates how Samsung’s 5G products, once FWA is commercialized, will allow members of a residence to each stream their own 4K content simultaneously, without interruptions. Likewise, gamers will be able to play on a 5G cloud network with minimal hardware and latency as low as a one millisecond. This means that games which typically require a console and lots of storage space may be played comfortably via the cloud, and controller input is instantaneous.

The Industrial Solutions zone features a model of a city connected by Samsung’s 5G Connectivity Node. This slim, compact device is designed to be easily installed on streetlamps and is capable of providing gigabit connectivity to link a wide range of smart city technologies, including digital signage, CCTV cameras, vehicles and IoT sensors, to 5G networks. The model demonstrates how cities may utilize 5G networks to instantly identify traffic accidents and violations and alert the proper authorities.

“A large portion of the 5G technologies that will enable the services being introduced at this year’s MWC are already at the commercialization stage,” said Dongsu Shin. “We look forward to presenting people around the world with the types of services that are yet to be experienced before by intensifying our cooperation with telecommunications companies and industry partners globally.”

Right now, the entire telecommunications industry is preparing to usher in the era of 5G, which will surpass the current mainstream technology, 4G. Samsung Electronics has led in developing these innovative 4G technologies in the markets with the highest LTE penetration rates, such as the U.S., Korea, Japan and the UK. Now, the company is making preparations to lead the 5G era based on its innovative technology and previous success in implementing 4G.

In this interview, two of Samsung Network Business unit’s executives—Dr. Dongsoo Park, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing Team, and Dr. Woojune Kim, Vice President, Next Generation Business Team—share how Samsung is working to do so.

Dr. Dongsoo Park (left) and Daryl Schoolar (right)

Q. Please tell us a bit about Samsung Networks’ current business status and achievements in 4G LTE?

Dr. Park: Our success with 4G LTE has helped us to build a strong global networks business. We have led in the development of OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access) technologies and this experience has proved helpful in rolling out LTE solutions.

We have successfully deployed LTE technology in advanced markets including the U.S., Japan, the UK and Korea. To continue innovating and providing cutting-edge technologies, we have focused on mature markets with the highest mobile broadband adoption rates. We do, however, see additional opportunities in emerging markets that could also prove to be valuable.

Q. What is your strategy for entering new markets such as South Asia?

Dr. Park: We’re pursuing markets with high potential for large-scale LTE deployments. In these markets, we’re looking to target operators with similar needs to our existing customer base, like those that are seeking advanced, cutting-edge LTE solutions.

We would like to work in emerging markets to contribute to their digitalization through LTE, all the while cultivating long-term relationship with our customer-operators. Our partnership with Jio in India is a great example of this. We don’t want to put ourselves in a position where we are competing only on price. We’re trying to enter markets where we can lead in technological development with innovative solutions.

In cases where it is part of the operators’ strategy, 5G is a definite asset for creating our opportunities. The introduction of 5G, with its use of small cells mixed with macro cells and reliance on network virtualization, will lead to more open interfaces and make it easier to integrate multiple vendors.

Q. What business strategies will you use to stand out in a crowded field?

Dr. Park: When it comes to vendor differentiation, our strategy is to be “first to market” with leading edge technologies. Our collaboration with Korean operators has allowed us to lead the deployment of some of the most technologically advanced LTE networks in the world.

For instance, we set a number of precedents in our efforts to commercialize various LTE technologies. This includes developing VoLTE, multicarrier and LTE Smallcell in 2012, carrier aggregation in 2013, LTE Broadcast (eMBMS) in 2014,  and tri-band carrier aggregation and virtualized core (NFV, vIMS/vEPC) in 2015. Furthermore, we expect to unveil  LTE-Advanced Pro features early next year. These will enable users to reach 1-gigabit throughput using tri-band carrier aggregation, 256QAM and 4X4 MIMO.

Dr. Woojune Kim (left) and Daryl Schoolar (right)

Q. What is the background of Samsung’s Next Generation Business team?

Dr. Kim: Samsung has been working on 5G in different areas of the company (IC, devices, networks) for the last five years. But earlier this year, we found that 5G was accelerating faster than anticipated, so we had to increase our efforts accordingly. To do this, we had to consolidate all of our 5G projects into a single business unit. The result is the Next Generation Business team, which incorporates Samsung’s 5G development teams, along with the 5G strategy team.

Q. What are some of R&D-related preparations Samsung is making regarding 5G?

Dr. Kim: Samsung believes 5G is different than previous mobile standards. It is much more than just an interface for mobile devices. It is a completely new network architecture and it will be found in a much more diverse set of devices including consumer electronics and industrial devices.

Samsung has been developing 5G-related technologies since 2011. We have invested significant resources in 5G technologies like millimeter wave channel models and RF ICs. This includes RF key technologies for smaller chipsets, multi-cell handover with millimeter wave frequency and network virtualization technologies.

Q. What is your strategy for collaborating with the 5G industry?

Dr. Kim: The key starting point for our strategy to commercialize 5G is partnering with operators. Right now, we are developing Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) solutions and we expect to move on to mobile solutions. We are also collaborating with other ecosystem vendors, such as component vendors, to find ways to reduce the costs of 5G equipment and solutions.

We are even working with our competitors to create mutual standards on which we can build a set of 5G parameters. These parameters will help operators understand what to expect from 5G. In addition, we have started to work with third-parties to ensure that video, IoT and other applications run properly across 5G networks.

Q. How is Samsung planning to differentiate itself when it comes to 5G?

Dr. Kim: Internally, we are proactively bringing together as many business units as possible to usher in this new era of telecommunications. For example, to introduce millimeter wave the network will require a new type of base station that is small, visually attractive, cost-effective and has the ability to run on low power. This requires Samsung not only to leverage engineering expertise in the network business to build the radio, but also to bring in resources from our consumer electronics business to create something that will be aesthetically pleasing.

Q. When will the 5G commercialization take place?

Dr. Kim: We think we will see some initial commercial networks based on 5G by the end of 2017 or early in 2018. We are expecting targeted use case-driven deployments initially, as opposed to all-encompassing nationwide rollouts.

We’ll also see that 5G won’t be as mobile-centric as we might have considered it to be previously. Fixed wireless, IoT and mission critical communications don’t always have the same broad coverage requirements as found in our traditional mobile communications networks.

5G, therefore, will serve much more than mobile devices and networks, as it won’t be required to have the same universal coverage. Instead, 5G will be deployed in more select areas for specific 5G aspects, such as high bandwidth or low latency, with LTE filling in coverage gaps.

Q. After launching 5G FWA commercially, what steps will Samsung take to initiate full 5G mobility?

Dr. Kim: Once the operators implement Fixed Wireless Access (FWA), they can then add mobility. Put simply, 5G FWA might be described as a “wireless fiber to the home” which is considered one of initial 5G use cases. 5G mobility is expected to be available around 2020. Until then, we will satisfy the current market needs of 5G FWA starting in 2017.

Q. What is the biggest misunderstanding that mobile operators have about Samsung Networks?

Dr. Park: Some mobile operators attribute the success of our networks business solely to our customer-operators in Korea. However, Samsung has been committed to mobile network development for more than 35 years, and actively contributed to advancing connectivity capabilities in a number of markets.

Having Korea as our home base affords us an incredible opportunity to commercialize the latest technology, which are reinforced by our current presence in the U.S., Japan, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Russia. Our recent collaboration with Jio India further promotes Samsung’s firm commitment to the infrastructure business.