Airtel with Ericsson demonstrates mmWave 5G functionality on its network

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel in partnership with Ericsson on Wednesday said they have successfully demonstrated mmWave (millimetre wave) 5G functionality on the Airtel network.

Peak speeds of 4.7Gbps were achieved during the testing, demonstrating the applicability of mmWave for high network capacity requirements.

"Using FWA customer premises equipment (CPE) supported with 5G mmWave will not only help in delivering greater speeds but will also enable us to cover the large number of users that are not connected so far due to inaccessible fibre connections," Randeep Singh Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel, said in a statement.

The 5G high-band or mmWave spectrum is a valuable resource when targeting densely populated urban areas with large numbers of mobile devices, homes, and businesses.

The high band, above 24 gigahertz (GHz) offers an opportunity for service providers to offer unprecedented peak rates, low latency, and high capacity.

"Our extensive investments in R&D have produced in-depth knowledge, experience, and multiple 5G mmWave patents. We possess a leading portfolio in the global 5G mmWave patent landscape and fully own the technology we use," said Nunzio Mirtillo, Head of Ericsson Southeast Asia, Oceania and India.

According to Ericsson’s FWA handbook 2024 Insights, from 130 million at the end of 2023, FWA connections worldwide are projected to increase to 330 million by the end of 2029.