Making a milestone for 5G development and cutting a path to a 2019 commercialization of mobile handsets, Qualcomm Technologies and Ericsson announce the successful completion of a 3GPP Rel-15 spec compliant 5G NR call on a smartphone form factor. The over-the-air (OTA) call was performed using millimeter wave (mmWave) in the 39 GHz band of spectrum using NSA (Non-Standalone) mode. It employed Ericsson's commercial 5G NR radio AIR 5331 and baseband products and a mobile test device with integrated Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem and RF subsystem in the Ericsson Lab in Kista, Sweden.
The lab data call is a continuation of the interoperability development testing (IODT) that was announced in 2017, which used Ericsson’s 5G NR pre-commercial base stations and Qualcomm Technologies’ 5G NR UE prototypes, and further shows the companies’ commitment and ability to achieve milestones that pave the way for commercial launches of 5G NR standard-compliant infrastructure, smartphones and other mobile devices. Reportedly, these early trials and milestones will enable global operators and OEMs to conduct tests in the field using their own networks and devices. For deeper connections to knowledge, visit Qualcomm and Ericsson.