The data connection demonstrated the delivery of multi-gigabit 5G speeds to a smartphone form-factor mobile test device, with a focus on how users can experience a virtually seamless, uninterrupted data transmission using 3GPP 5G NR specification and dual connectivity (known as EN-DC¹). The test used Samsung’s commercial 5G NR and 4G LTE equipment to deliver the 5G NR data transmission using Verizon’s 28 GHz spectrum. This spotlights a rapid, stable and effective path to commercial 5G service using a Non-Standalone mode of operation with dual-connectivity that takes advantage of both 5G and LTE technology.

The data throughput of more than 1.7 Gbps was delivered to a Qualcomm Technologies’ smartphone form factor test device with a Qualcomm^® Snapdragon X50 5G modem and antenna modules with integrated RF transceiver, RF front-end and antenna elements. This represents a smartphone form factor device that consumers will use on high-capacity, multi-gigabit 5G networks using mmWave spectrum. Testing occurred in Qualcomm Technologies’ San Diego, CA -based labs.

This 5G NR demonstration follows a recent announcement from Verizon of the company’s successful first data transmission on a 5G-upgradeable smartphone using a commercial 5G network in Providence, RI. That transmission used Samsung’s 5G NR solutions and the Snapdragon X50 5G modem, along with the groundbreaking Qualcomm^® QTM052 mmWave antenna modules.

“Successful interoperation of multiple network technologies takes us another step closer to the commercialization of 5G mobility services,” said Woojune Kim, Senior Vice President and Head of North American Business at Samsung Electronics’ Networks Business. “We are proud to join with Verizon and Qualcomm Technologies to spotlight the next steps driving network evolution. The use of substantial mmWave spectrum and EN-DC demonstrates how a seamless 5G/LTE approach succeeds in delivering high-speed, high-capacity mobility on next-generation networks.”

“Verizon is leading the industry again with the first 5G NR standards connection leveraging multiple component carrier technology and our ultra wide band frequencies to achieve top 5G speeds,” said Ed Chan, senior vice president and chief technology architect for Verizon. “This is a demonstration of real 5G speed achieved through commercial grade Samsung network equipment and a Qualcomm chipset. Our strong partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm is truly accelerating the 5G ecosystem to deliver the 5G promise to our customer.”

¹ EN-DC (Evolved-Universal Terrestrial Radio Access-New Radio), introduced in 3GPP release 15, refers to E-UTRA NR Dual connectivity.

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.

Samsung Electronics America today announced that their 5G-ready massive MIMO solutions on Sprint’s 2.5 GHz TDD-LTE network are now in commercial service. As part of Sprint’s network, Samsung’s massive MIMO solutions deliver improved 4G LTE throughput and capacity to Sprint’s subscribers. Additionally, this helps provide Sprint with a seamless upgrade path to 5G New Radio (NR), utilizing the carrier’s deep 2.5 GHz spectrum.

In February 2018, Sprint announced its selection of Samsung as a massive MIMO provider for their future 5G mobile network launch in the U.S., an important milestone for the carrier. Samsung’s massive MIMO can provide a way for operators to inject new capacity into their network without having to purchase more spectrum or add new base stations. It is being used by Sprint to significantly boost LTE network speeds and capacity for millions of U.S. customers, while improving network efficiencies through advanced beam-forming. 

“We are excited to see Samsung MIMO solutions in use on Sprint’s current LTE commercial network, which will help their customers experience the full benefits of network innovation,” said Lyle Nyffeler, Vice President, Networks Division, Samsung Electronics America. “Our MIMO solutions are engineered to maximize 4G networks today, while offering a graceful, seamless path to a 5G future.”

In addition to delivering substantial capacity gains using the same amount of spectrum, Samsung’s MIMO solution offers a seamless path through split mode, enabling deployment of 4G and 5G NR on the same radio, without any hardware changes. The massive MIMO implementation also includes the Samsung CDU 30, a higher capacity digital unit and software that enables gigabit level speeds while supporting eMTC and NB-IoT.

“Massive MIMO is a powerful technology that enables us to dramatically increase our LTE capacity and data speeds, giving customers in dense urban locations an even better mobile experience,” said Jay Bluhm, Vice President of Network Development and Engineering, Sprint. “We’re also excited to collaborate with Samsung on 5G and enable a whole new level of immersive mobile services.”

For further information on Samsung and Sprint’s massive MIMO trial, please visit here.

The 5G trials involve innovative network systems, including the use of 28GHz millimeter wave spectrum and advanced beam-forming antenna technology. Samsung’s 5G Access Units, installed throughout a city’s business and residential neighborhoods, will link radio signals to a virtualized core network that is set up within Verizon’s data centers. Samsung’s next-generation core solution is software-driven and designed on a scalable platform to accommodate operator needs.

In pre-commercial testing started from early December last year, the 5G system demonstrated multi-gigabit throughputs at radio distances of up to 1,500 feet (500 meters) across each of the different environments selected for the customer trials. The Samsung 5G system is designed to be upgradable to support 3GPP standards for New Radio and Next-Generation Core, once available.

Samsung and Verizon 5G customer trials will begin in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Texas and Washington, D.C., with a fifth location in Michigan starting trials later in Q2 2017. The locations represent varying terrain, neighborhood layouts and population density. Joint trials will incorporate Samsung’s pre-commercial 5G solution featuring a CPE(Customer Premise Equipment), window antenna as well as its 5G radio and core solutions. Verizon will include fixed wireless network service that provides wireless Internet access and Voice over IP (VoIP) calling.

“We are excited to deliver the first end-to-end 5G connectivity in the United States with Verizon,” stated Youngky Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “This represents a major leap forward in offering 5G fixed wireless access to consumers. The 5G challenges we will address, and the customer feedback we receive will help lay the foundation for future business models and customer applications.”

“We are pleased about the progress made with partners like Samsung on advancing 5G technology commercially,” said Roger Gurnani, Executive Vice President and Chief Information and Technology Architect, Verizon. “Delivering 5G to these pilot customers are an important step in assessing the business model and customer experience for delivering wireless broadband via 5G.  Samsung’s early and extensive development in 5G has been very valuable in contributing to Verizon’s 5G Technology Forum progress.”

Samsung network equipment and devices offer a pathway to meeting ever-growing consumer demand for data in an emerging 5G world. 5G technology is expected to drive the next wave of mobile application development and the Internet of Things (IoT), connecting billions of devices and accelerating low latency gigabit speeds for richer experiences. Samsung holds a host of essential patents related to the new 5G standards. In its continued commitment to 5G technology, Samsung recently announced the commercial readiness of its 5G integrated chipset, which will enable operators like Verizon to deploy high-efficiency, low cost radios in a compact form factor and overcome high-band spectrum challenges.
For further details on the consumer trials, see Verizon’s announcement, also issued today here.

About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) employs a diverse workforce of 177,700 and generated nearly $132 billion in 2015 revenues. Verizon operates America’s most reliable wireless network, with more than 112 million retail connections nationwide. Headquartered in New York, the company also provides communications and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.

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