Qualcomm shows prototype 5g test platform operating at frequencies below 6GHz

Qualcomm is demonstrating a test platform for 5G networks at the Mobile World Congress in Shanghai that works on frequencies lower than 6GHz. The system consists of a base station and user equipment and would enable speeds of up to 3Gbit/s.

Qualcomm doesn’t mention speed in its press release, but according to EETimes, who spoke with a top executive of the company, the test rig is good for a speed of more than 3Gbit/s while the latency is less than a millisecond. It is not known over what distance this speed is possible, but the test system is made to operate at frequencies around 3-5GHz, slightly higher than the frequencies used for 4G. By using a bandwidth of ‘more than’ 100MHz within that spectrum per connection, the higher speed is possible. With 4g, that is 20MHz per connection, although this can be increased with carrier aggregation.

An earlier test platform for 5G networks from Qualcomm operated at a frequency of 28GHz. 5G test equipment from other companies has also worked mainly at high frequencies until now. The 5g standard is expected to use a wide frequency spectrum; the lower frequencies are needed to allow for a long range, while the high frequencies can deliver more speed.

The 5G standard has not yet been finalized and it is therefore not yet clear which frequencies will ultimately be used for the 4G successor. It will be a combination of low frequencies that have a large range, with high frequencies that allow higher speeds.

Qualcomm says its prototype contributes to the development of the 5G standard. The 3gpp organization that manages the communication standards has been researching 5g ‘New Radio’ since 2015, as part of release 14 of the 3gpp standard. In release 15, the 5g standard should be finalized. Only years later, probably no earlier than 2022, will 5g come to consumers in Europe.

Prototype of Qualcomm’s 5g base station