China Mobile, together with partners Qualcomm and ZTE, has announced plans to run large-scale 5G trials based on specifications being developed by 3GPP.
Before a new generation of mobile technology can be deployed, comprehensive interoperability and over-the-air field tests are required. With this announcement, China Mobile aims to begin that process early while the 5G standard is still being finalized.
Qualcomm said the trials will operate in sub-6 GHz mid-band spectrum around 3.5 GHz and are intended to accelerate validation and commercialization of 5G New Radio (NR) technologies at scale. The goal is to enable timely commercial network launches using 3GPP Release 15–compliant 5G NR infrastructure and devices.
China Mobile and its hardware partners plan to demonstrate multi-gigabit-per-second data rates, significantly reduced latency, and improved reliability compared with current networks to showcase what 5G can deliver. As the Internet of Things grows—with use cases such as industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, and drones—alongside rising mobile broadband demand for applications like virtual reality and cloud-connected services, 5G represents a critical step forward.
“5G is very important for future development and we have invested substantial resources in 5G research, standardization, and industrialization,” said Wang Xiaoyun, General Manager at China Mobile. “We established a 5G joint innovation center to stimulate cross-industry innovation. We completed phase I trials on key 5G technologies and have started phase II, focusing on the full 5G system. Collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies and ZTE will help mature devices and base stations and shorten their time to market. We encourage more partners to join, so we can complete a unified global 5G standard, drive industrialization, and build a harmonized ecosystem through trials, testing, and cross-industry innovation.”
Qualcomm will supply device prototypes, and ZTE will provide base stations to simulate real-world scenarios. The trials will emphasize 5G operation in the 3.5 GHz mid-band and will evaluate technologies such as Massive MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) antenna systems, adaptive self-contained TDD, beamforming, scalable OFDM-based waveforms to support wider bandwidths, advanced coding and modulation schemes, and flexible low-latency slot structure designs.
“Qualcomm Technologies is committed to the continued success of China’s wireless industry and we are excited to collaborate with China Mobile and ZTE to accelerate the path to 5G in China,” said Matt Grob, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. “Trials based on the global 3GPP 5G standard are essential for timely deployment of 5G networks and continue our long history of leadership integrating advanced wireless technologies.”
The trials are scheduled to begin in China in the second half of 2017. They will support testing and refinement of the initial 3GPP 5G NR specification, speeding development and helping ensure global compatibility with future devices.
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