Vodafone and Ericsson conduct the UK's first successful 5G test in London
Vodafone and Ericsson, two of Europe's biggest mobile companies, have completed the United Kingdom's first successful 5G test.
The pair collaborated with King's College London on the 3.5GHz spectrum test in central London, the first instance of the technology working separately from an established 4G network.
According to Total Telecom, engineers were able to test a number of 5G technologies including Massive MIMO, which uses multiple antennae to vastly improve mobile communications.
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Ericsson's recent Mobility Report projected that 1bn customers will be using 5G networks by 2023, while Deutsche Telekom is targeting a 2020 rollout for its first 5G network.
"We are delighted to be the first provider to test standalone 5G in the field, however, building a 5G network will take time," said Vodafone UK's head of networks, Kye Prigg.
"Right now, we’re also modernising our network by making smarter use of our existing mobile technology to keep ahead of consumption demands and provide the mobile coverage our customers deserve."
Marielle Lindgren, head of Ericsson in the UK and Ireland, added: "We remain committed to advancing 5G development in the UK, working closely with leading operators and ecosystem players to enable global scale and drive the industry in one common direction."
