Australia’s largest wireless carrier on Monday announced the successful completion of a standards-compliant 5G call over 3.5 GHz spectrum for the first time on a commercial mobile network.
Telstra, along with Ericsson and Intel, conducted the end-to-end data call — which met 3GPP non-standalone 5G standards — at the carrier’s 5G Innovation Center in Southport, Australia.
Company officials said the test helps move 5G technology out of a laboratory setting.
“Demonstrating this 5G data call end-to-end using my own personal SIM card on Telstra’s mobile network is the closest any provider has come to making a ‘true’ 5G call in the real world-environment,” Mike Wright, Telstra’s Networks group managing director, said in a statement.
In addition to a Telstra retail SIM card, the test utilized the carrier’s licensed spectrum and 5G NSA enabled commercial network. Ericsson provided its 5G NR radio 6488, baseband and packet core for 5G EPC, while Intel contributed its 5G Mobile Trial Platform.
“Along with Ericsson and Telstra, Intel continues to demonstrate its strong 5G technical capability, as showcased by this first 5G data call on commercial infrastructure deployed in Telstra’s network,” added Asha Keddy, Intel’s Next Generation and Standards general manager.
Telstra expects to launch a commercial 5G network for the first time early next year.
Filed Under: 5G
