Ericsson, STC, and Qualcomm Technologies have successfully tested a pre-commercial software solution aimed at enhancing mobile network uplink performance.
The solution aggregates four 5G mmWave component carriers, increasing uplink throughput to Gbps by utilising the 4CC Uplink Heavy Time Division Duplex (TDD) pattern feature on top of NR-DC functionality.
“Our commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia runs deep and we are dedicated to working with our partners to find innovative solutions that meet the needs of customers and enterprises across the Kingdom,” said Håkan Cervell, Vice President and Head of Customer Unit stc, Saudi Arabia and Egypt at Ericsson Middle East and Africa.
“Traditionally, mobile networks are characterised by downlink speeds, but this proof of concept has shown the potential of uplink speeds and will open doors to enable new use cases that require high uplink capacity and throughput. We look forward to its further development, which will surely contribute to the Kingdom’s ambition to enhance its digital capabilities and realise a more digitally connected society.”
The software addresses the increasing need for faster uplink speeds in busy locations such as stadiums and cultural centers. This high- and mid-band designed software, in combination with Qualcomm Snapdragon X65 Modem-RF System, provides a better user experience and enables enterprises, especially media companies, to conduct live broadcasts with cellular technology without sacrificing quality. It also consists of Standalone (SA) New Radio (NR) Dual Connectivity (DC) software that uses 4x100MHz of mmWave band and 1x100MHz of mid-band, powered by the Snapdragon X65 Modem-RF System on the user equipment side.
Haithem AlFaraj, Group Chief Technology Officer of stc, said, “We are confident this solution will not only improve uplink speeds but also open new possibilities for media companies using cellular technology for high demand use cases such as live broadcasting. We look forward to the further development of this PoC and seeing the impact it will have on our customers and in achieving the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030.”
Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm Europe, Inc. and President of Qualcomm Europe/MEA, said, “We are committed to working with our partners to bring the benefits of 5G to Saudi Arabia and we look forward to working alongside stc and Ericsson for the commercial deployment of this solution in the coming years.”
