Samsung claims breakthrough in 5G mobile development

Samsung claims gigabit-speed mobile networking - if you can wait until 2020

Electronics giant Samsung claims to have developed the core technology behind 5G mobile telecommunications.

Based on extremely high-frequency radio communications - or mmWave - Samsung's 5G technology promises "ultra high-speed" network access enabling downloads in the region of one gigabit per second (1Gbps) over distances of up to 1.2 miles (two kilometres).

In contrast, "next generation" 4G networks, which are currently being implemented, offer download speeds of some 10 Megabits per second (10Mbps).

According to Samsung: "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 recognised option, it has been long believed that the 'millimetre-wave bands' had limitations in transmitting data over long distances due to its unfavourable propagation characteristics."

The development of communications at higher wave bands required for greater brandwidth - up to 64 gigahertz (GHz) - has been hampered by the atmospheric interference, even over relatively short distances.

Current 3G and 4G mobile communications networks typically use wave lengths of 800 megahertz (MHz) to 1.9GHz.

"Samsung's new adaptive array transceiver technology has proved itself as a successful solution. It transmits data in the millimetre-wave band at a frequency of 28 GHz at a speed of up to 1.056Gbps to a distance of up to two kilometres," claims Samsung in a statement.

"Samsung plans to accelerate the research and development of 5G mobile communications technologies, including adaptive array transceiver at the millimetre-wave bands, to commercialise those technologies by 2020," it continued.

Anyone considering holding off purchasing a 4G-compatible Apple iPhone 5 or BlackBberry z10 will have to wait until 2020, at the earliest, before 5G systems become commercially available.

Outside of mobile phone handsets, Samsung is not noted as a provider of telecoms equipment. However, it is one of the key areas that the company has targeted - especially next-generation mobile telecoms in the form of 4G and 5G, rather than conventional voice and data networking, which is dominated by Ericsson, Nokia-Siemens Networks, Alcatel, Cisco and other long-established companies.