Samsung Electronics America (SEA) and Samsung Austin Semiconductor (SAS) are working with AT&T, to create America’s first manufacturing-focused 5G “Innovation Zone” in Austin, Texas. With 5G promising to eventually usher in a new era for manufacturing, this new Zone will help provide crucial insight into how smart manufacturing can evolve and strengthen the industry at large.

Next-Generation 5G for SAS

5G is set to be the next generation of mobile communications. Its delivery objectives, grounded in an ecosystem that covers chipsets, devices, and other equipment, include reduced latency, high data rates, higher system capacity and massive device connectivity.

The goal of the new 5G-powered testbed is to provide tangible results for a better understanding of how 5G can impact manufacturing, as well as to provide insight into the future of a smart factory. The 5G-enabled “Innovation Zone” sits within Samsung Austin Semiconductor, one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor fabrication facilities. It will harness Samsung’s 5G equipment as well as AT&T’s 5G wireless technology.

AT&T Business Chief Marketing Officer, Mo Katibeh, notes that this project is an industry first. “We’re testing the real-world impact 5G will have on the manufacturing industry. Ultimately, we will use what we learn from this 5G ‘Innovation Zone’ to help create better technology experiences and improvements in SAS’s plant, along with creating a future blueprint for people and businesses across all industries.”

The Future of Smart Factories

5G-enabled technologies promise to eventually have a significant impact on the development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly for connected manufacturing. 5G support has the potential to unlock new experiences in AR, powerful machine learning and AI applications, and to provide the next step in intelligent robotics and predictive maintenance.

Some of the new technologies and use cases that SEA and AT&T may explore in the SAS Innovation Zone include 4K video as a sensor to improve plant security and detection response, industry IoT sensors to monitor for environmental and equipment conditions, AR and VR for employee training, and enhanced location services for plant safety.

“As we evolve into a smart factory, Samsung Austin Semiconductor is continuously focused on leveraging data and automation to increase system performance,” says Dr. Sang-Pil Sim, President of SAS. “This collaboration with Samsung Electronics America and AT&T will help us test how a 5G network can improve mobility, performance and efficiencies within our plant.”

One Step Closer

This announcement marks a step forward on the way to the widespread commercialization and use of 5G technologies. In September, Samsung announced its first 5G city, which tests diverse 5G use cases and learn technical requirements from its real-world application.

The launch of the Austin “Innovation Zone” is another breakthrough for enhanced connectivity across the board. “We’re hard at work deploying our commercial mobile 5G network for people and businesses in parts of a dozen cities by the end of this year,” says Igal Elbaz, Senior Vice President of Wireless Technology at AT&T. “Seeing a number of technologies enhanced and improved by 5G at a large manufacturing plant will give us an exciting glimpse into a 5G world, which is closer than ever.”

“This test bed demonstrates Samsung’s expertise in innovation spanning chipsets to devices to network technology,” notes Wilf Norrlinger, Vice President of the SEA Networks Division. “We’re excited to expand upon our recent commercial networks agreements with AT&T to bring 5G technologies to the forefront of industry, and advance specific use cases to accelerate new market opportunities.”

Since 2000, Samsung has been developing 5G technologies to advance network capabilities in order to meet the ever-growing data demand in an increasingly connected world. Using in-house technology and assets, Samsung has managed to develop the first commercial ASIC-based 5G modems and mmWave RFICS, enabling the design of compact access units and CPEs. In the first half of 2018, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted authorization of Samsung’s 5G access units and CPEs for the first time. Samsung continues to drive the next wave of technologies taking an open approach towards providing a seamless pathway to a 5G world by unlocking the potential of mobile services and future connections.

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.

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“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.”

For the third summer in a row, AT&T is bringing its customers the toughest and most advanced member of the Galaxy S family. The Samsung Galaxy S6 active – available only at AT&T² – is designed with your active lifestyle in mind. It gives you the durability you want while boasting a sleek, lightweight design and all of the innovation the Galaxy S 6 has to offer. Beginning on June 12, you can purchase the Galaxy S6 active on www.att.com/galaxys6active or at AT&T stores in Camo White, Camo Blue, or Gray.

Built to withstand whatever everyday life throws its way, the Samsung Galaxy S 6 active has IP68 certified casing that is water resistant up to 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes, shock resistant, and dust proof.⁶ Whether you’re at the office working or outside exploring, the device’s high-power performance and innovation keep you connected, productive and entertained. Additional key features include:

• Display: The Galaxy S6 active has a 5.1-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED^® display with 577ppi that automatically adapts to the content you’re viewing – even outdoors.
• Camera: With a double-tap of the home button, the 16MP rear-facing and 5MP front-facing cameras launch faster than ever. Auto-Real time High Dynamic Range (HDR) captures clever shots in virtually any light, and the front camera’s wide-angle lens allows you to take epic selfies.
• Operating System: Android0.2 (Lollipop).
• Processor: The Samsung Galaxy S6 active comes with Octa-core 64-bit processor, Samsung’s fastest and most powerful processor in a smartphone.
• Storage: 32GB of internal memory⁷
• Voice Calling: HD Voice capable.⁸
• Battery Life: The Samsung Galaxy S6 active features a 3500mAh and embedded wireless charging technology that works with most wireless charging pads on the market, so there’s no more looking for a cord or place to plug in.
• Outdoor Features: Activity Zone is the ideal companion for outdoor adventures, and includes a quick launching compass, flashlight, stopwatch, and more.
• Business Ready: Samsung KNOX provides security and protection right out of the box, along with support for MDM partners, making device management easy for IT administrators.

“As we’ve shown over the past three years as the exclusive provider of Samsung’s Galaxy S active family, we feel that our customers shouldn’t have to trade durability for best-in-class specs,” said Jeff Bradley, senior vice president, Device Marketing and Developer Services, AT&T Mobility. “The Galaxy S6 active is the best Galaxy S6 in the market. It combines all the premium features of the Galaxy S6, but also has durable enough to can handle wear and tear. You can’t find this device – with its combination of performance, dependability, and 4G LTE reliability — with any other carrier. And on top of that, our customers will be able to choose between two cool new colors – camo white and camo blue.”

“With the Galaxy S6 active, we’re delivering consumers with high durability coupled with the powerful performance of Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone,” said Tim Baxter, President & COO & Mobile Division GM of Samsung Electronics America. “The result is a smartphone that brings ruggedized capabilities and water resistance coupled with the camera, battery and design features that empower our consumers and business users to do more.”

The Samsung Galaxy S6 active has earned five out of five stars on AT&T’s Eco-Rating system. The system rates the environmental factors of AT&T branded handset devices. AT&T created the Eco-Rating system to empower consumers to make better informed decisions when selecting a device. For more information about this device’s rating, AT&T’s Eco-Rating System, and how you can join AT&T in making a difference, please visit http://att.com/ecospace.

The Samsung Galaxy S 6 active will be featured and available for purchase in on-site shops at upcoming Reebok Spartan Race events. Reebok Spartan Race, the world’s leading Obstacle Race, is an event designed to push your limits, test your strength and challenge your endurance.

Join AT&T and Samsung at the races in Breckenridge, Colorado on June 13; Dallas, Texas on June 20; Midway, Utah on June 27; and Palmerton, Pennsylvania on July 11. For more information on the races, please visit www.spartan.com

¹Reliability based on nationwide 4G LTE. LTE is a trademark of ETSI. 4G LTE not available everywhere.

²AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

³$0 down with AT&T Next req’s well-qualified credit & a 20-mth, 24-mth or 30-mth 0% APR installment agreement.  Wireless service (voice & data) is required & is extra. Tax due at sale. If wireless svc is cancelled, device balance due. Other charges & restr’s apply. Visit att.com/next for AT&T Next requirements.⁴ Limited Time Offer. Must buy smartphone via AT&T Next  installment agmt, tablet w/ 2-yr agmt & activate wireless svc on both. Activ./upgrade (up to $40) & early termination fees, & other charges & restr’s apply. See http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/Tab4-Bundle.html for bundle offer details.⁵Offer ends 07/23/15, while promo supplies last. Must buy smartphone via AT&T Next^SM installment agmt w/ qual. monthly wireless svc plan (voice & data) or new 2-yr wireless agmt w/qual. monthly voice plan.  Smartphone and Samsung charging mat must be purchased together. Purchase of iFrogz GoLite is not req’d. Activ./upgrade (up to $40) & early termination fees, & other charges & restr’s apply. Visit a store for bundle offer details.

⁶ Meets US Mil-STD-810G for water-resistance and to withstand dust, shock, vibration, temperature extremes, humidity, and high altitude. Water-resistant based on IP68 rating. Submersible up to 1.5m of water for up to 30 mins. Shock-resistant when dropped from ≤ 4 ft onto flat surface. For additional device details, visit att.com/galaxys6active.

⁷Portion of memory occupied by existing content.

⁸AT&T HD Voice has limited availability in select markets and may not be available in your area.  To experience HD Voice, both parties must be in AT&T HD Voice coverage using AT&T HD Voice-capable devices. Other restrictions apply. See www.att.com/hdvoice for details.