Credit: cjmartin via Foter.com / CC BY
Sprint is planning to join peers Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile on the 5G trial bandwagon with live demonstrations of 5G technology during the Centennial Copa America soccer events next month.
Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure first revealed the carrier’s plans during the company’s earnings call on Tuesday. Claure said Sprint will work with both Nokia and Ericsson to “demonstrate the 5G capabilities using millimetric band radius to deliver 4K streaming of soccer content at two Copa America stadiums.”
“We are participating in the development of the global 5G standard, and we’re collaborating with our partners and other companies on the 5G opportunity,” Claure said. “We look forward to leveraging our deployment experience and working closely with our vendors to expand the use of 2.5 GHz and higher band spectrum as we evolve to 5G.”
According to experimental applications filed with the FCC by Nokia and Ericsson, the demonstrations will take place at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., between June 3 and June 6 and Lincoln Financial Stadium in Philadelphia, Pa., June 9, 11 and 14.
But unlike its competitors – which have primarily focused their experimental efforts on potential 5G spectrum in the 28 GHz, 37 GHz and 39 GHz bands – Sprint has turned its attention to a different millimeter wave frequency.
Nokia’s demonstration at Levis Stadium will utilize equipment operating on spectrum in the 68 GHz to 76 GHz range. The test will use a total of 12 pieces of transmitting devices, including six pieces of mobile equipment and six pieces of fixed equipment.
Nokia said the test will include a “live demo” of the 5G technology at the event.
In its test with Ericsson at Lincoln Financial Stadium, Sprint will also demonstrate 5G tech on spectrum in the 14.5 GHz to 15.35 GHz range.
The Ericsson demonstration will utilize only one experimental 5G base station and one piece of experimental 5G mobile user equipment, the company said. The base station and mobile unit will be kept within 50 feet of each other during the testing, Ericsson said.
Though the 14.5 GHz to 15.35 GHz spectrum seems to be less favored by carriers for 5G tests, however, Sprint isn’t alone in testing on that band.
AT&T has also announced plans to conduct 5G tests with Ericsson on that band in Austin, Texas this year.
