You have to commend T-Mobile for their connectivity efforts lately, despite the series of controversies surrounding them in recent months. The carrier just set a world record for 5G upload speeds, reaching over 2.2 Gbps. Partnering with Ericsson and Qualcomm, T-Mobile used a technology called Dual Connectivity to combine mid-band and mmWave spectrum, giving a huge boost to upload speeds.
They tested it at SoFi Stadium, the high-tech sports and entertainment venue in Inglewood, California. So far, the tech promises faster sharing and livestreaming at crowded events. It's a big win for T-Mobile’s network advancements and keeps them leading the 5G race in the USA.
Triple speeds for your streaming pleasure
Typically, people focus on download speeds when online. That is, how fast you can receive data when streaming videos or loading web pages. With advancements in upload speeds, and as mobile gaming, virtual reality, and other activities grow, how fast you can send data to the internet matters just as much.
Using 5G Dual Connectivity (DC), T-Mobile combines two types of 5G spectrum—2.5 GHz that covers long distances) and mmWave that's ultra-fast but mostly covers short distances. The mobile carrier dedicated 60% of the mmWave resources for uploads, compared to only 20% in typical cases, and was able to improve upload speeds.
With 5G DC, T-Mobile is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to create better experiences in the places that matter most to our customers,” said Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology at T-Mobile. “This accomplishment is a testament to the network we’ve built over the last five years and our ability to deliver unparalleled capabilities that extend beyond the devices in our pockets.
Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology, T-Mobile.
If you were at a concert, and everyone around you is trying to post videos and livestream, only a small portion (around 20%) of the super-fast mmWave network would be available for uploads normally. So, speeds slow down with everyone sharing at once. But by dedicating 60% of that fast network to uploads, T-Mobile effectively triples the available upload power.
Related: T-Mobile Planning to Usher in 6G
No more network delays at packed events
T-Mobile successfully tested this new 5G setup at SoFi Stadium in California, using real network equipment from Ericsson and a test smartphone with Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon X80 5G modem. It became the ideal location for the companies because of its capacity to host millions of people. At football and concerts, people want to share their experiences through posts and livestreams.
Broadcast crews also need to upload high-definition content to production teams in real-time to get the feed to you at home if you sat the event out. All these activities can be difficult when the network is overloaded.
Head of Product Area Networks at Ericsson Mårten Lerner affirmed that fast upload speeds are important for making 5G work better, especially for interactive experiences. He stated how proud he was that the test with T-Mobile showed progress in improving the user experience.
Qualcomm's Vice President of Product Management, Sunil Patil, also expressed his pride in the world record set with T-Mobile and said Qualcomm will keep working with both T-Mobile and Ericsson to make 5G connectivity even better.
