Many tech companies are working diligently on 5G cellular networks and technology. And 5G is most certainly on the way. But, as I’ve reported many times in the past, there’s still plenty of gas left in the tank with 4G LTE (News - Alert).
This analogy came from the lips of a Nokia leader. In yet another example of its truth, Ericsson, Qualcomm (News - Alert), and Verizon recently demonstrated that 4G is capable of delivering near-gigabit speed performance.
It all happened in Boca Raton, Fla. There, Verizon (News - Alert) said, the carrier and its partners hit peak speeds of 953 megabits per second.
The companies accomplished this by aggregating existing LTE license spectrum and unlicensed spectrum. This four carrier aggregation, Verizon explained, employed License Assisted Access to combine the different spectrum types. The unlicensed spectrum in this case was Wi-Fi spectrum.
Another technology in play for this demonstration was 4x4 MIMO. That uses multiple antennae at cell towers and user devices for optimal data speeds. Also in the mix was 256 QAM. This modulation scheme allows the network to handle more bits between endpoints and the network.
Ericsson (News - Alert) provided the micro Radio 2205 for LAA for the demo. Qualcomm contributed its Snapdragon 835 mobile platform test device, with an integrated Snapdragon X16 LTE modem.
"By continuing to deploy the latest technologies on our 4G LTE Advanced network, we pave the way for better and faster performance for the things our customers do now, and provide the groundwork for our future advancements," said Nicola Palmer, Chief Wireless Network Officer for Verizon.
While Verizon continues its efforts around LTE advancements, the company has also been among the key industry players moving 5G forward. In fact, leaders at the service provider recently said they expect to roll out 5G commercially next year.
Edited by Alicia Young