Optus announced that it has achieved another 5G milestone by combining 2100 MHz spectrum with 3500 MHz spectrum for the first time, through the use of 5G carrier aggregation and spectrum sharing technology, which will deliver customers with super-fast speeds and increased 5G coverage.
Working together with technology partners Ericsson and Samsung the testing was completed at a live 5G site on non-stand-alone architecture in Sydney using a Samsung S21 device.
The combination of 5G FDD 2100MHz and 5G TDD 3500 MHz allows the simultaneous use of both 5G and 4G, enabling faster data speeds and improved network performance – which is great news for Optus 5G customers as this technology is rolled out over the coming months.
Optus currently has more than 1000 5G sites across Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra as well as key areas outside of these cities.
Lambo Kanagaratnam, Optus Managing Director Networks
The deliberate and clever combination of our spectrum assets means that we are able to pull through the benefits of increased coverage thanks to the 2100Mhz band, coupled with the improved capacity offered by the 3500Mhz spectrum.
Martin Wiktorin, Head of Ericsson Global Customer Unit Singtel
With 8.8 billion 5G subscriptions forecasted globally by 2026, this achievement ensures that Australians will continue to have access to the best 5G technology.
