Nokia announced that testing has highlighted the flexibility, upgradeability and scalability of its AirScale radio portfolio to adapt to support the frequency bands that will be used for the initial applications of 5G technology.
By demonstrating the ability of the AirScale platform to support both low and high bands, Nokia stated that operators will be able to provide both wide area and indoor coverage for early 5G operations without the need to carry out complicated network reconfigurations.
Nokia noted that 5G promises to change connectivity by delivering lower latency, increased spectral efficiency and improved energy efficiency, while the range of applications enabled by 5G, such as improved connectivity in dense urban environments to Industry 4.0 applications and fixed wireless access, will require the use of high-band frequencies (millimetre and centimetre wave) as well as the evolution of existing low-band frequencies.
At the 5G World Summit in London, UK, Nokia will showcase how AirScale, a core component of its 5G FIRST solution, can leverage its Flexi RF units that are already deployed by operators to enable the continued use of existing radio technology as they prepare to transition networks to 5G. During the event Nokia will also outline the use of different spectrum bands, ranging from sub-1 GHz to millimetre wave, to meet expectations in terms of depth of coverage and higher capacity and data rates promised by 5G.Nokia explained that 5G applications, such as connecting IoT devices, coverage for indoor environments and over large areas, necessitate the use of low-band frequencies. The company noted that the ability to utilise these bands has recently been verified in tests at its 5G labs in Finland, including the 700 MHz, 800 MHz and 850 MHz frequencies.
- Nokia showcased its 5G FIRST end-to-end solution incorporating AirScale and AirFrame technology at the Mobile World Congress in February. The 5G FIRST solution specifically features Nokia's AirScale massive MIMO adaptive antenna for 3.5 GHz, 4.5 GHz, 28 GHz and 39 GHz frequency bands, cloud packet core and shared data layer and mobile transport elements. The solution is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2017.
