Docomo, Ericsson complete 5G glass antenna trial
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Japanese operator NTT Docomo and glass solution provider AGC Group have collaborated with Ericsson to complete what the companies believe to be the world’s first trial of 5G communications using a glass-embedded antenna.
The trial used an antenna embedded in synthetic fused silica glass to transmit and receive 28-GHz 5G radio signals.
Validation testing used a vehicle fitted with multiple antennas and traveling about 30 km/h. Using the antenna, the companies achieved downlink speeds averaging 1.3Gbps within a 100 meter range, and maxing out at 3.8Gbps at 400 MHz.
The glass antenna prototype has the potential to overcome challenges associated with high-band 5G spectrum being unable to adequately penetrate windows, the companies said.
It could potentially be attached to window surfaces in buildings, vehicles and railway cars to enable stable, high-speed 5G communications under challenging indoor and in-vehicle conditions.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which companies collaborated on this 5G glass antenna trial?
Which companies collaborated on this 5G glass antenna trial?
Japanese operator NTT Docomo and glass solution provider AGC Group collaborated with Ericsson. They worked together to complete the trial of 5G communications using the glass-embedded antenna.
Q.What is the potential benefit of this glass antenna prototype?
What is the potential benefit of this glass antenna prototype?
The prototype could overcome issues with high-band 5G spectrum struggling to penetrate windows. It could enable stable, high-speed 5G in challenging indoor and in-vehicle conditions by attaching to window surfaces.
Q.What kind of speeds and range were achieved during the trial?
What kind of speeds and range were achieved during the trial?
During validation testing, the companies achieved average downlink speeds of 1.3Gbps within a 100-meter range. Speeds maxed out at 3.8Gbps at 400 MHz while the vehicle travelled at about 30 km/h.