Samsung Electronics on Wednesday announced that it is providing a variety of 5G radios to support NTT DOCOMO’s Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) expansion plans. It’s been over a year since Samsung and NTT Docomo signed a 5G deal. Now Samsung is adding new radios – including 3.7 GHz, 4.5 GHz and 28 GHz – to its existing 3.4 GHz radio support for DoCoMo. The radios support NTT DoCoMo’s open radio access network (O-RAN) expansion and cover all operator-owned time-division duplex (TDD) frequency bands.
As Samsung expands its portfolio, it will benefit NTT DOCOMO to leverage its spectrum portfolio and be able to develop a versatile 5G network and expand the services it offers to consumers and businesses in all of Japan. The companies also tested the interoperability of these new radios with basebands from different vendors in NTT DOCOMO’s commercial network environment.
Read also: Airtel Deal encourages Samsung to manufacture 4G and 5G equipment in Tamil Nadu
Commenting on the development, Masafumi Masuda, Vice President and General Manager of Radio Access Network Development Department at NTT DOCOMOsaid, “We have partnered with Samsung since the inception of 5G and through our Open RAN expansion, and we are excited to continue to expand our scope together. By strengthening our global leadership, we will continue to build momentum around our Open RAN innovation and deliver highly scalable and flexible networks to respond quickly to our customers’ changing demands.”
Satoshi Iwao, Vice President and Head of Network Division at Samsung Electronics Japansaid, “Japan is home to one of the most densely populated areas in the world, with many skyscrapers and complex infrastructure. Samsung’s industry-leading 5G radio portfolio meets the demands for small-footprint, low-weight solutions while ensuring reliable quality of service. As NTT DOCOMO continues to accelerate its Open RAN innovation, we look forward to working together to deliver a richer consumer experience and generate new business opportunities. »
Samsung introduces a new 28 GHz radio unit (RU)
Along with this announcement, Samsung also introduced its new 28 GHz (RU) radio unit as part of its millimeter wave solutions portfolio. According to Samsung, the new RU, which weighs less than 4.5 kg, or about 10 pounds, features a light and compact form factor with very low power consumption, enabling flexible deployments in various scenarios. Samsung’s 3.4 GHz, 3.7 GHz and 4.5 GHz radios are also open RAN compatible.
