After we learned about AT&T rolling out 5G+ service in Downtown Milwaukee area, another network provider is making a big inroad to make 5G speeds faster and overall experience better for customers. T-Mobile has announced that it has successful completed the first-ever 5G standalone (SA) New Radio Carrier Aggregation data call on a commercial device – the Un-carrier’s tailored LG Velvet 5G smartphone.
With the test, the Un-carrier was able to see an average 20-percent increase in download speeds in comparison to its mid-band 5G alone. For the tests, with NR CA T-Mobile combined its 2.5 GHz mid-band and its 600 MHz low-band to increase the prowess of its mid-band 5G. This was carried out by T-Mobile in collaboration with LG, Ericsson, and MediaTek.
The first data call using 5G carrier aggregation was pulled off by T-Mobile on its exclusive version of LG Velvet 5G, which is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1000C 5G chipset. The other versions of the LG’s smartphone feature Qualcomm’s upper mid-range Snapdragon 765G under the hood.
In a general case; low, mid, or even high 5G spectrum bands can only deliver connectivity, with carrier aggregation this stands to change. It gives the compatible device the ability to combine the capacities of different layers – in this case, T-Mobile’s 2.5 GHz and 600 MHz – to enhance 5G speeds and performance.
According to the Un-carrier, this is its first step in 5G aggregation, and it will only get better with time. This will pave the next step for T-Mobile’s standalone 5G network but how will this work in favor of T-Mo LG Velvet 5G in user perspective is a story of another day.