NTT DoCoMo is a network carrier in Japan, and the company decided to partner up with Nokia Networks in order to showcase the new high-speed 5G data transmission at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2015. First and foremost, keep in mind that 5G technology is still in pre-standardized research phase, though it is planned for commercial release in 2020. That being said, NTT DoCoMo and Nokia are showcasing the results they have so far at DoCoMo’s booth at MWC 2015.
We’re talking about a data transmission speed higher than 2Gbps, which is achieved here by using Nokia Networks’ mmWave technology in 70GHz band. DoCoMo has set the aforementioned year 2020 as the ultimate goal to release the 5G technology to consumers. These two companies have been working together and managed to achieve downlink speeds of more than 2 Gbps by using higher frequencies in the 70 GHz band. NTT DoCoMo and Nokia Networks are also planning to conduct a 70 GHz outdoor trial later in the year.
“Utilizing higher frequency bands including millimeter wave is key to deliver extremely high performance in 5G. We believe that high-frequency spectrum shall be used not just for small cells as a means to complement the existing network, but also for building solid area coverage through coordination with existing lower frequency bands. The success of this indoor trial with Nokia Networks using the 70GHz band marks an important step forward in our 5G vision for 2020,” said Seizo Onoe, CTO at NTT DoCoMo, INC. Hossein Moiin, CTO at Nokia Networks, added the following: “Moving ahead on our pledge to cooperate on 5G research and innovation for developing and validating 5G, we have laid a strong foundation for realizing DoCoMo’s 5G vision. We will ensure that our focus is clearly trained on helping the operator monetize the immense revenue potential of future-ready technologies to effectively address ever-increasing network coverage and capacity requirements.”
Analysts say that data traffic will grow 10,000 fold within the next 20 years, mainly because of the ultra-high resolution video streaming, cloud technologies, entertainment spectre and the increased use of wireless gadgets. There you have it folks, it seems like 5G is on the way, these two companies are not the only one working on the technology, and we’ll see where this goes from here.