Australian telco Optus is now testing 5G mmWave at 4 locations in Sydney. In a statement, the telecommunication giant said it has the approval of ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) to run and test 5G millimetre wave technology that uses the 26 GHz band. 1 of the 4 locations where Optus is testing its 5G mmWave spectrum is Macquarie Park headquarters. The statement also mentioned it ran extensive testing in Sydney at its lab facility.

As a part of Optus’s tests, the telco made a data call with its tech partner Ericsson using mmWave CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) by Casa Systems. The auction of the mmWave spectrum is scheduled for early 2021.

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5G mmWave technology by Optus 

The ACCC has already flagged that 5G is a good competitive threat to lower the wholesale prices of NBN. This is because 56.7% Australians aware of 5G technology say that they would prefer using 5G over NBN [1]. Optus has also reported a rise in its customer’s data consumption. To meet this demand, an additional high bandwidth of 5G spectrum assets are needed. mmWave will essentially provide Optus with the required bandwidth and increase the company’s 5G network capability exponentially. The spectrum will also allow reduced latency for the customers and faster speed, especially in dense areas.

Lambo Kanagaratnam, Optus Networks Managing Director, said that mmWave is the next step in the process of unlocking mass productivity gains via a high-speed wireless communication layer. 

More about the announcement 

Ericsson asserts that it is excited to work with Optus in its 5G rollout. Head of Global Customer Unit Singtel, Martin Wiktorin says the announcement is a critical milestone in ensuring all Australians benefit from the full potential of mmWave technology.

Optus reinforces its interest in using mmWave to provide its services in the enterprise market in the first instance. Kanagaratnam says sectors such as mining and port operations and autonomous manufacturing in the enterprise market are expected to considerable benefit from 5G mmWave technology.

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Source

[1] Roy Morgan (2019) “Australians need convincing on the benefits of 5G technology” [Online] Available from: http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/8086-perceptions-of-5g-june-2019-201908120817 [Accessed June 2020]

Image Courtesy: Optus