T-Mobile just pulled off the first standalone end-to-end 5G data session in North America – which is claimed to be the first in the world on a multi-vendor 5G next generation radio and core network. The over-the-air transmission marks a giant leap forward in realising the true potential of 5G with new services, ultra-low latency, and even greater coverage and capacity than existing networks.

“This major 5G breakthrough is another example of how the T-Mobile engineering team continues to innovate and drive the entire industry forward. I could not be more proud of them,” said Neville Ray, chief technology officer at T-Mobile. “5G brings a new era in wireless, and if our merger with Sprint is approved, the New T-Mobile will bring together the resources and vision necessary to ensure America has a network that’s second to none.”

Current 5G networks are non-standalone, meaning devices connect to 5G and LTE simultaneously, delivering better mobile broadband speeds and performance than LTE. With standalone 5G based on a 5G next generation network, T-Mobile is paving the way to supercharge applications that require real-time responses and massive connectivity such as mobile augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), cloud gaming, smart factories and meters and even connected vehicles. 

Accomplishing this standalone 5G milestone on a multi-vendor 5G next generation network was no small feat. To complete the successful data session in its Bellevue, Washington lab, T-Mobile enlisted the help of industry leaders Ericsson, Nokia, Cisco and MediaTek.

T-Mobile plans to introduce standalone 5G in 2020. For more information about T-Mobile’s 5G vision, click here.

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