Samsung has developed 'ultra-high
speed' fifth-generation technology that could allow users to download an entire
Movie in a second, the electronics giant has said.The South Korean firm has
successfully tested new equipment which it hopes will transmit data several
hundred times faster than existing 4G networks.
It claims subscribers could use
the technology to download high-quality digital films 'practically without
limitation' and watch 3D movies or stream high-definition programmes in
real-time.
Samsung believes its new
transceiver is the world’s first device capable of providing 'ubiquitous' 5G
broadband - and hopes to bring the service to customers by 2020.It announced
the development after conducting a test where data was transmitted at speeds of
more than one gigabit per second over a distance of up to two kilometres.
Customers using 4G services -
currently provided in the UK by EE - access average speeds of between eight and
12 megabits per second (Mbps).
'The new technology sits at the core of 5G mobile communications
system and will provide data transmission up to several hundred times faster
than current 4G networks,' Samsung said in a blog post.The company believes the
equipment could provide a solution to recent surges in wireless internet usage.
It added: 'Samsung’s new
technology will allow users to transmit massive data files including
high-quality digital movies practically without limitation.
'As a result, subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide range
of services such as 3D movies and games, real-time streaming of ultra
high-definition (UHD) content, and remote medical services.'
In the blog post, Samsung claims its technology uses
high-frequency wavebands which were previously deemed unsuitable for mobile
networks.
It said: 'The implementation of a high-speed 5G cellular
network requires a broad band of frequencies, much like an increased water flow
requires a wider pipe.
'While it was a recognised option, it has been long believed that
the millimetre-wave bands had limitations in transmitting data over long
distances due to its unfavourable propagation characteristics.
'However, Samsung’s new adaptive array transceiver technology has
proved itself as a successful solution.
'It transmits data in the millimetre-wave band at a frequency of
28 GHz at a speed of up to 1.056 Gbps to a distance of up to two kilometers.'
