Info Image

Vodafone Australia Launches First 4.9G Massive MIMO Site

Vodafone Australia Launches First 4.9G Massive MIMO Site Image Credit: Vodafone

Vodafone Australia is continuing the evolution of its mobile network in the lead up to 5G, with the launch of the first 4.9G trial site in Parramatta.

Vodafone’s 4.9G site in Parramatta is the first of five sites across Australia that will act as trial locations for Vodafone 4.9G, with Sydney’s Chinatown and Haymarket to follow. Vodafone said it will build upon the success of the trial sites by rolling out 4.9G to select sites throughout 2018.

The sites selected for the 4.9G trial are in high-density, high usage areas where we can really exercise the benefits we saw during the field demonstration.

The technology, called Massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), uses Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) 1800MHz spectrum. FDD band spectrum was first demonstrated for use in Massive MIMO by Vodafone in 2017, where it achieved a cell throughput speed of 717 Mbps across eight devices.

As communications technologies continue to advance and service providers across the globe strive to deliver the best experience to their customers, the Massive MIMO market is heading towards a boom. Global research firm ResearchAndMarkets.com estimates the Massive MIMO market to be worth more than $US20.91 billion by 2026², a compound annual growth rate of 41 per cent between 2018 and 2026.

Kenin Millroy, CTO, Vodafone
4.9G is supercharging our network, with customers in 4.9G areas to enjoy a higher quality network experience, smoother streaming, and more consistent speeds, even in times of high usage. Vodafone is well on the way to be 5G-ready once compatible spectrum becomes available, with the rollout of our fibre transmission network nearing completion and the on-going project to virtualise our core network.

Author

Ray is a news editor at The Fast Mode, bringing with him more than 10 years of experience in the wireless industry.

For tips and feedback, email Ray at ray.sharma(at)thefastmode.com, or reach him on LinkedIn @raysharma10, Facebook @1RaySharma

PREVIOUS POST

NB-IoT and LTE-M Fundamental to the Development of Massive IoT, says GSMA

NEXT POST

EE Picks Ericsson Expert Analytics to Improve CX