Samsung Electronics said it has successfully developed adaptive array transceiver technology designed to operate in the millimeter-wave Ka bands for 5G cellular communications.
The new technology sits at the core of 5G mobile communications system and will provide data transmission up to several hundred times faster than current 4G networks.
Samsung’s new technology will allow users to transmit huge data files, including high-quality digital movies, without limitation. As a result, 5G subscribers will be able to access a wide range of services such as 3D movies and games, real-time streaming of ultra high-definition (UHD) content and remote medical services.
Samsung said 5G mobile communications technology is the next generation of the existing 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network technology and will be capable of providing a compelling and fast file transfer experience to subscribers anywhere.
The implementation of a high-speed 5G cellular network requires a broad band of frequencies, much like an increased water flow requires a wider pipe. While it was a recognized option, it has been long believed that the millimeter-wave bands had limitations in transmitting data over long distances due to its unfavorable propagation characteristics.
Samsung said its new adaptive array technology has proved itself as a successful solution. It transmits data in the millimeter-wave band at a frequency of 28GHz at a speed of up to 1.056Gb/s to a distance of up to 2km. The adaptive array transceiver technology, using 64 antenna elements, can be a viable solution for overcoming the radio propagation loss at millimeter-wave bands, much higher than the conventional frequency bands ranging from several hundred MHz to several GHz.
“The millimeter-wave band is the most effective solution to recent surges in wireless Internet usage,” said ChangYeong Kim, executive vice president of Samsung Electronics and Head of Digital Media & Communication R&D Centre. “Samsung’s recent success in developing the adaptive array transceiver technology has brought us one step closer to the commercialization of 5G mobile communications in the millimeter-wave bands.”
The company said it plans to accelerate research and development activities that leverage 5G mobile technologies, including adaptive array transceiver at the millimeter-wave bands, to commercialize products and services by 2020.
