Nokia and Qualcomm have successfully completed standard-compliant key interoperability tests in the 3.5GHz and 28GHz spectrum, using the Nokia AirScale base station and device prototypes from Qualcomm Technologies.
Following these recent tests, and the agreement in September last year that they would collaborate on 5G new radio (NR), the businesses say that widescale 5G deployments could take place in 2019. This will be timely for commercial network launches in the United States, China, Japan, Korea and Europe.
Testing at Nokia's Finland-based 5G centre of excellence provides the basis for trials with operators in 2018, with BT/EE, Deutsche Telekom, Elisa, KT, LGU+, NTT DOCOMO, Optus, SKT, Telia and Vodafone Group, already committed to working together in verifying and trialling 5G NR technology.
Marc Rouanne, president of mobile networks at Nokia said: ‘These tests by Nokia and Qualcomm Technologies are important to the progress of 5G. Importantly, they demonstrate how we have quickly applied the 3GPP Release 15 specifications that were set in December, using our AirScale base station together with a prototype Qualcomm Technologies UE.’
Added Cristiano Amon, president of Qualcomm Incorporated: ‘The successful completion of an end-to-end interoperable connection based on the global 5G NR standard is a significant step on the path to launching 5G NR commercial networks and devices starting in 2019.’
In March this year, Nokia will also collaborate with BT for the UK’s first public 5G trial, which will be hosted in Bristol (see Bold, brainy and in Bristol).
