SoftBank to trial 5G in Tokyo with ZTE

Japan’s SoftBank and ZTE have teamed up to trial 5G over 4.5-GHz spectrum in metropolitan areas of Tokyo.

SoftBank and ZTE will work to verify the performance of ZTE 5G end-to-end network equipment in sub 6-GHz spectrum under real-world conditions in a major, densely populated city.

The two companies have been conducting joint R&D on foundational 5G technologies including massive MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output), and plan to further explore using the technology for 5G.

“We have a long term partnership with SoftBank in key 5G technologies such as massive MIMO, and we are pleased to expand that work to accelerate 5G new radio readiness,” ZTE chief scientist Dr Xiang Jiying commented.

“As a global leading provider of M-ICT mobile technologies, ZTE is making substantial investments in 5G and cooperating with industry partners to promote the maturity of the 5G ecosystem. We are confident that ZTE will be one of the first vendors to deliver end-to-end 5G solutions for our customers.”