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10Gbps 5G data speeds - Qualcomm and Keysight achieve industry-first milestone
Thu, 8th Jul 2021
FYI, this story is more than a year old

A collaboration between Qualcomm and Keysight has achieved 5G 10Gbps data connection speeds, an industry-first milestone.

Keysight Technologies has announced a demonstration at the Mobile World Congress 2021, of a ten gigabit per second (Gbps) data connection using 5G new radio dual connectivity (NR-DC). The industry-first milestone was achieved in close collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies.

The accomplishment builds on a long-term collaboration between the two companies to boost 5G commercialisation across the device ecosystem. NR-DC will allow 5G NR devices to simultaneously connect and aggregate multiple NR cells, leading to significantly increased data transfer speeds.

“We're pleased to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies to reach another achievement to help lay the foundation for consumers and enterprises to achieve wired-broadband grade speeds in this next phase of 5G,” says Keysight's Wireless Test Group, VP and GM, Cao Peng.

“This accomplishment reflects that the industry has entered the second phase of 5G NR deployment, which will enable advanced wireless communications built on the latest 3GPP Release 16 specification.”

The demonstration used spectrum in both frequency range 1 (FR1) and FR2 (mmWave), which enables 5G user equipment (UE) to leverage wide bandwidths and high order modulation, leading to data transfer speeds of more than 10 Gbps.

Using a flexible spectrum combined with higher data speed connections will allow mobile operators to dynamically deploy 5G services in wireless congested areas, where bandwidth resources need to be managed efficiently.

“Qualcomm Technologies is pleased to work with Keysight to develop pioneering solutions that allow device makers to accelerate innovations to support considerable performance improvements,” says Qualcomm Technologies VP of product management, Francesco Grilli.

“This achievement builds on the recent milestone Qualcomm Technologies and Keysight realised in March 2021, showcasing 5G low/mid and high band aggregation across key global combinations on a smartphone form-factor device equipped with the Snapdragon X65 using Keysight's 5G network emulation solutions.

“Together, we move significantly closer to providing users access to seamless, rapid connections on 5G devices in traditionally congested areas worldwide,” he adds.

Qualcomm Technologies also used Keysight's 5G Protocol R-D Toolset, part of the company's suite of network emulation solutions, to establish the industry's first 5G NR data connection based on 3GPP Rel-16. This allows a connected device ecosystem to develop designs that lead to improved efficiencies in transportation, logistics, and manufacturing and provide better cell coverage and connection speeds for consumers.

Included in the demonstration were Keysight's network emulation platform and Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System with Qualcomm QTM545 mmWave Antenna Module to aggregate 5G mmWave and sub-6GHz spectrum.