Samsung Electronics America has bagged a 5G infrastructure deal from Verizon, a leading telecom operator in the U.S.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, N.J., Samsung Electronics America will supply commercial 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network solutions Verizon.
Verizon, which is ahead of AT&T and T-Mobile in terms of 5G preparedness, will begin commercial 5G services in Sacramento, California in the second half of 2018. T-Mobile is betting on its 600 MHz spectrum to launch 5G.
Telecom equipment vendors such as Nokia, Huawei and ZTE are yet to announce any 5G deal with Verizon.
Earlier, Ericsson announced its 5G equipment deal with Verizon. Ericsson will supply networking equipment for the commercial launch of 5G. Verizon will deploy the pre-standard 5G commercial radio network and the 5G Core network in select markets in second half of 2018.
Ericsson and Verizon have conducted fixed-wireless 5G trials using mmWave spectrum in multiple cities and residential neighborhoods with different geographies and housing densities. This has been a critical step in Verizon’s plan to deploy a first-of-its-kind fixed wireless broadband network.
The below chart prepared by Ovum indicates that 5G subscriptions will reach 327,000 in 2019 and 18 million in 2020.
Last year, Samsung and Verizon began 5G customer trials across seven U.S. cities in early 2017, and have tested and verified 5G performance using millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequency to provide FWA pre-commercial service. Verizon conducted these trials in California, Georgia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, and Washington D.C.
“The industry has been discussing 5G connectivity for years, and through our joint collaboration with partners like Samsung, we are beginning to make it a reality for our customers,” said Ed Chan, chief technology architect and Network Planning, Verizon.
Key findings of 5G trials include:
A single 5G radio has been able to reach the 19th floor of a multi-dwelling unit (MDU).
Broadband service has been achieved in line of sight (LOS), partial LOS and Non-LOS connections.
Environmental factors, including rain and snow, have not interrupted services.
Samsung will provide commercial 5G home routers (CPEs), 5G Radio Access Units (RAN) comprised of a compact radio base station and virtualized RAN elements, as well as 5G radio frequency planning services.
“Together with Verizon, we have explored the vast potential of 5G through market trials across the U.S.,” said Mark Louison, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Networks Division, Samsung Electronics America.
Baburajan K
