T-Mobile and Nokia achieve 5G data transmission over 600 MHz band

T-Mobile has announced that it has reached the world’s first live network 5G data transmission, reports ZDNet. The company used a low-band spectrum for this in cooperation with Nokia. By 2020, the entire United States should be equipped with 5G.

The tests took place in Spokane, Washington. It was shown that a single mobile mast is capable of transmitting 5G signals over hundreds of square metres. This means that if the 600 MHz spectrum is used, sparsely populated areas will also have access to the 5G network. This is because the signals go beyond more highly-banded frequencies.

“The Un-carrier is focused on delivering 5G to anyone, anywhere. That while the other companies focus on 5G for few people. They only reach a few people in small areas, in a handful of cities,” says CEO John Legere. “We’re really making mobile 5G, so everyone can take advantage of the 5G revolution. And with Sprint, we’re able to offer 5G with great capabilities and speeds.”

The spectrum used is also able to pass through buildings, and suffers from line-of-sight problems that mmWave 5G folds. Currently, the extended range of 600 MHz for 4G LTE is already live in over 1,500 areas in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Faster on the map

In September, CTO Neville Ray said that the merger with Sprint means that 5G will be rolled out faster in the United States. According to Ray, even faster than any company can do that independently, including competitors Verizon and AT&T.”

Verizon and AT&T both focus on the mmWave spectrum. Ray states that his company also has spectra in the 28 GHz and 39 GHz mmWave frequencies. “You can’t offer a wide 5G experience with just mmWave. We have talked a lot over the past eighteen months about a multi-band 5G strategy, so mmWave for the densely populated areas and the lower spectra for everything from faster smartphone services and improved mobile connections, to widespread availability for IOT services.