Rakuten completes 5G trials in 28-GHz with Nokia

Japan’s Rakuten Mobile Network said it has completed over-the-air 5G trials in the 28-GHz frequency band using equipment provided by Nokia and Intel.

The trials were carried out from June in a shielded room at the Nokia Kawasaki Technology Center located in Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, using Nokia AirScale base station and the Intel 5G Mobile Trial Platform.

During the trials, Rakuten Mobile Network and Nokia verified a number of 5G applications including 4K video and 3D 360-degree VR live streaming, the Japanese mobile carrier said in a company statement.

Rakuten Mobile Network, which is the newly created mobile subsidiary of Japanese e-commerce giant, secured government approval to deploy 4G mobile services in the 1.7-GHz frequency band in April 2018. The company aims to launch its first mobile services as a mobile network operator in October 2019.

Rakuten Mobile Network is teaming with a number of vendors including Nokia on the design and construction of its nationwide mobile network. The two companies will also work closely together on 5G technology testing and evaluation, Rakuten said.

“The next generation of mobile broadband and the Internet of Things, enabled by 5G, will transform virtually all sectors of society and industry, and further accelerate the opportunities to advance in healthcare, education, energy services and agriculture, and within new industry applications,” Rakuten Mobile Network CTO Tareq Amin said.

“The results of our trials highlight the importance of realistic 5G OTA testing and reinforce the potential of 5G networks, taking us a step closer towards actual deployment,” he added.