Vodafone and semiconductor leader MediaTek have reached a significant milestone in the realm of 5G technology. They have achieved uplink speeds of up to 277 Mbps in a recent test held in Madrid, Spain. This development stands to greatly enhance user experiences related to video uploads and cloud services, areas of growing demand as mobile data usage evolves toward creating and sharing content in real time.
The breakthrough was accomplished using Vodafone’s 5G Standalone (SA) network alongside MediaTek’s M90 chipset. The test was conducted at Vodafone’s testing facility near Madrid and showcased the capability of 5G Standalone technology to support demanding applications with improved speed and efficiency.
The success of this trial relied heavily on several advanced technologies. Key among them was carrier aggregation, which combines multiple spectrum channels to increase both speed and capacity. This was complemented by MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antennas, enabling the transmission of two simultaneous data streams from a single device, and the use of both Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrums for comprehensive coverage.
In addition to these technological achievements, the MediaTek chipsets offered seamless switching between different uplink technologies. This minimizes interference and enhances overall spectrum efficiency, truly underscoring the capabilities of MediaTek’s implementation of 3GPP Release 17 standards.
“This achievement will ensure next-generation 5G experiences continue to support users globally,” noted HC Hwang, general manager of wireless communication system and partnership at MediaTek. Vodafone is proceeding with plans to enhance its European networks, addressing the increase in data traffic fueled by video portals, cloud services, and AI technologies.
Moving forward, Vodafone aims to extend its 5G network to cover 90% of the Spanish population by the end of the year. This expansion plan includes rolling out services to over 3,700 municipalities, demonstrating Vodafone’s commitment to broadening 5G accessibility and improving indoor coverage through the 700 MHz frequency band.
