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Major US wireless carrier T-Mobile and tech giant Nokia have recently announced that they have completed America’s first ever bidirectional over the air (OTA) 5G data session on a 5G New Radio (5G NR) system that complies with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). According to the official press release, the said 5G data session was accomplished in the Uncarrier’s lab located in the city of Bellevue in Washington. Both companies achieved this milestone by making full use of a device that is capable of simulating end user equipment and Nokia’s 3GPP compliant 5G gear.
It is no secret that the third biggest wireless service provider in the country is planning to take full advantage of its recently purchased 600 MegaHertz spectrum for purposes of building its upcoming 5G network. However, its collaboration with Nokia sees T-Mobile leverage the 28 GigaHertz spectrum band. The carrier has also stated that it has plans to utilize both millimeter wave spectrum (like the 28 GigaHertz) and 600 MegaHertz spectrum for its future 5G offering.
The announcement by T-Mobile and Nokia is important for various reasons. For one, any 5G compatible consumer device that connects to a tower or small cell will presumably require going through bidirectional transmission. Still, it bears mentioning that even if both companies were the first to effectively achieve bidirectional OTA 5G, it does not mean that T-Mobile will be the first mobile operator to offer commercial bidirectional OTA 5G service.
The 5G race is already beginning to hit fever pitch, and the biggest names in the world of wireless are all wanting to be the first to fly off the starting line. AT&T, for example, has declared that it will be the first national carrier in America to offer mobile 5G. Indeed, it is planning to debut its commercial 5G in less than a dozen US cities. However, it has stated that its customers will require additional equipment (a so-called 5G puck) in order to begin enjoying access to a 5G connection.
Still, even if T-Mobile will not technically end up as the first to offer 5G, it should be able to catch up soon. As pointed out by Neville Ray, the chief technical officer of T-Mobile, accomplishing bidirectional OTA 5G data session on a 5G NR system, even in laboratory settings, is a huge step in the right direction towards eventually making 5G work on actual smartphones, tablets, and even wearable devices.
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