The test was conducted in Samsung's R&D lab in Korea leveraging Samsung's 5G vRAN software and radios—each supporting 2.1GHz (FDD) and 3.5GHz (TDD) bands—and Qualcomm Technologies' mobile phone form-factor test device equipped with its latest Snapdragon® X75 5G Modem-RF System.
This is a significant milestone as it is the first time the industry has accomplished 1024 QAM for FDD band. By using 20MHz bandwidth, the companies reached 485Mbps, achieving near-theoretical gain. This downlink speed is more than 20% higher than what is possible with the current 256 QAM.
In addition, Samsung plans to complete its ongoing tests of 1024 QAM in traditional RAN as well, and the technology is expected to be commercially available within this year.
“We believe enhancing spectral efficiency is essential in developing next-generation solutions. This achievement underscores Samsung's ongoing commitment to push forward the frontiers of mobile technology,” said Ji-Yun Seol, Vice President, Head of Product Strategy, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Our collaborative efforts with Qualcomm Technologies have once again yielded impressive results, and we look forward to harnessing our combined expertise to drive network innovation.”
“We are honored to have collaborated with Samsung on this industry first achievement,” said Sunil Patil, Vice President, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “This accomplishment showcases our unwavering commitment to supporting operators in their efforts to enhance 5G throughput and boost spectral efficiency. By leveraging advanced QAM technology, we are empowering operators to maximize spectrum resources and deliver seamless, high-speed mobile services to 5G users.”
Late last year, Samsung and Qualcomm Technologies accomplished the world’s first simultaneous 5G 2x uplink and 4x downlink carrier aggregation for FDD spectrum. The companies are continuing the collaboration to push the boundaries of mobile 5G technology.
Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions, including chipsets, radios and cores. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio, from vRAN 3.0, Open RAN, core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company currently provides innovative network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users worldwide.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, home appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions, and delivering a seamless connected experience through its SmartThings ecosystem and open collaboration with partners. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.
