Optus Picks Nokia, MediaTek to Achieve 5G Milestone

Optus has achieved another Australian first 5G milestone with the delivery of a Four Component Carrier Aggregation 5G Standalone data call in Sydney.

Optus collaborated with Nokia and MediaTek utilising Nokia’s 5G AirScale product line and MediaTek’s Release 16 M80 modem in a smartphone formfactor to achieve enhanced speeds and improved capacity during the trial. When available commercially this technology will enable Optus customers to simultaneously stream content through multiple devices in 8K format.

The 4CC data trial combined Optus’ low-band spectrum and 2100MHz FDD bands with 2300MHz and 3500MHz TDD bands to achieve 4x carrier aggregation.

“This technology milestone is a fantastic example of our commitment to building and delivering the right network ecosystem for our customers, one that is futureproofed so we can stay one step ahead of the technology, making sure that our customers have access to the most technologically advanced network possible,” said Lambo Kanagaratnam, VP Networks Optus.

“Using the MediaTek device and working with Nokia for this trial has allowed us to look at the feasibility of this technology, working through any challenges, in advance of commercial handsets becoming available over the next 6-12 months. The ability to test and learn is important, allowing us to upgrade our network capability in advance so that the technology is available for our customers as soon as consumer devices are available in market.”

In addition to faster speeds and increased capacity, 4CC technology will be an important enabler for advanced 5G use cases in the areas of virtual and augmented reality as well as real-time gaming.

Rob Joyce, Chief Technology Officer for Australia and New Zealand at Nokia said, “Nokia is delighted to once again support Optus with our world-leading Carrier Aggregation technology. Operators like Optus can now fully leverage their spectrum assets, optimising their network’s coverage and capacity to deliver the best experiences for their customers.”

Dr. HC Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication System and Partnership at MediaTek said, “This collaboration has further enhanced the capabilities of 5G, working with Optus and Nokia to achieve industry-leading 4CC Carrier Aggregation using a device based on MediaTek M80 5G modem once again shows our combined efforts in pushing the boundaries of cellular technologies to bring benefit to customers.”