Carrier Makes First Wireless Call using 3GPP-compliant 5G NR Tech

February 13, 2018

Verizon conducted an over-the-air call on a 3GPP-compliant 5G New radio (NR) system using licensed spectrum this month at Nokia’s Murray Hill, New Jersey, facility. The test used Nokia 5G network technology on a 5G NR prototype device provided by Qualcomm Technologies on Verizon’s millimeter wave spectrum. The 5G NR standard was approved by the 3GPP in December 2017.

The test was completed over Nokia’s CloudRAN solution, which includes the Nokia AirScale baseband and radio, AirFrame server, and AirScale Cloud RAN running 5G NR 3GPP-compliant software.

Marc Rouanne, president of Mobile Networks, Nokia, said, “Using the successful interoperability testing we conducted with Qualcomm as a basis, we’re now applying our standard-compliant 5G technology in this trial with Verizon to push the commercialization of 5G.”

The test used Qualcomm Technologies’ 5G NR millimeter wave prototype device, which includes an optimized millimeter wave RF front-end design in a smartphone form factor.

The deployment of 5G technology over millimeter wave spectrum will provide massive bandwidth, ultra-high speed and single digit latency for emerging fixed and mobile use cases. As 5G continues to evolve, and as new use cases are developed and deployed, Verizon hopes to be positioned to deliver a commercially viable solution.

Verizon’s to Launch 5G Residential Broadband in 5 Markets in 2018

Verizon will launch wireless residential broadband services in three to five U.S. markets in 2018 as a first application of 5G wireless.

As 5G continues to evolve, customers will benefit from an array of services – including broadband, mobile and Internet of things — and the necessary bandwidth and low latency for 3D and virtual reality applications.

Verizon’s first commercial launch is planned to be in Sacramento, Calif., in the second half of 2018. Details of that launch, and the announcement of additional markets, will be provided at a later date. Verizon successfully trialed 5G residential applications in 11 markets in 2017.