Testing conducted by the South Korean carrier SK Telecom showcases the network speeds that customers may experience using Samsung’s first 5G smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G. The carrier conducted these tests as a part of its preparations for the rollout of its commercial 5G network next week.
The carrier tested two features that the Galaxy S10 5G could utilize to increase the data speeds it could offer to its users. The first test involves a dual connectivity technology that takes advantage of both 5G and LTE networks in sending and receiving data, and this functionality allows the Galaxy S10 5G to achieve download speeds of 2.65Gbps. The carrier noted that by using both 5G and LTE networks, the handset can transmit data 80-percent faster compared to devices connected only to the 5G network.
However, the Galaxy S10 5G can achieve even faster download speeds using the triple aggregation technology. This functionality allows the handset to receive and send data through 5G, LTE, and Wi-Fi networks, and it enables the smartphone to achieve data speeds of up to 4Gbps.
Both the dual connectivity and triple aggregation technologies will become available to consumers, and consumers who will buy the Galaxy S10 5G will receive software upgrades that will further boost the network speeds recorded by the handset. For example, SK Telecom noted that the smartphone can achieve 2.6Gbps at launch through the dual connectivity technology, although this speed will improve to 2.7Gbps within the first half of 2019.
Background: Samsung previously stated that the handset will utilize LTE networks to boost the speeds and reliability offered by 5G networks, although this test demonstrates how the smartphone can use both networks to improve user experience through increased download speeds. Aside from support for next-generation networks, the handset also comes with a larger 6.7-inch Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED display, a 3D depth sensor at the back of the handset, and a 4,500mAh battery. The larger battery is necessary due to the increased power consumption of the networking components of the smartphone, and Samsung notes that the panel in the Galaxy S10 5G is the largest display made for a Galaxy S handset.
Samsung will launch the Galaxy S10 5G in its home market of South Korea on April 5, and consumers in the United States may purchase the device starting on April 11 through Verizon’s retail outlets. By launching the device on April 5, the Galaxy S10 5G will be the first commercially available handset that can connect to 5G networks. Users currently have no opportunity to pre-order the device, which suggests that there are limited units of the Galaxy S10 5G available at launch. However, as part of Samsung’s promotional offer, South Korean consumers who will buy the handset at launch may choose to get a free pair of Galaxy Buds or a 50-percent discount on screen replacements.
Impact: Even though device testing shows the impressive speeds that the Galaxy S10 5G can achieve in test scenarios, it is likely that users will only achieve a percentage of those speeds in real-life scenarios due to concerns like signal strength and congestion. Nonetheless, it is likely that at locations where 5G connections are available, people who own the Galaxy S10 5G will still benefit not only from increased download speeds but also from reduced latency.