7.5Gbps ‘5G’ mobile data speeds demoed

Samsung and Korean mobile network operator SK Telecom are set to test a 7.5Gbps “5G” data system at the upcoming Mobile World Congress, taking place in Spain from 2 – 5 March 2015.

The planned exhibition follows Samsung’s successful testing of the 5G network in October 2014.

At the time, the company achieved the 7.5Gbps using a 28GHz network, which was also able to transfer data at 1.2Gbps while travelling at 100km/h.

According to reports, the technology comes with a few catches, though.

The new “5G” technology – which has not been officially defined as yet – uses millimeter wave signals to send information between the network and user. This only works when the devices are in line of sight.

To overcome this problem, Samsung and SK Telecom will use 3D beamforming to triangulate the position of the phone and an antenna to send the signal in a straight line.

“This technique creates a strong radio wave in a specific direction for transmitting a “pencil beam”, a technique to eliminate the propagation of very high frequency attenuation band in a manner to control the propagation direction,” said SK Telecom, via Google Translate.

“Speeds of 7.5Gbps is more than 100 times faster [than past] LTE services in July 2011… the start of 75Mbps.”

According to reports by PC World, Samsung and SK Telecom are hoping to launch the first commercial 5G wireless network in South Korea by 2020.

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