AT&T to Start Testing 5G Wireless Technology This Year
February 12 2016 - 12:30AM
Dow Jones News
By Thomas Gryta
AT&T Inc. plans to begin its first trials of
fifth-generation cellular technology, or 5G, this year as wireless
carriers look for higher speeds and more capacity amid the growth
of mobile data usage.
Cellular networks have evolved as the use of mobile connections
has changed. Originally built for voice calls, they now are largely
engineered to carry Internet data. Even voice calls increasingly
are being carried in the same way as Web traffic. AT&T and
other U.S. carriers have spent billions upgrading their networks in
recent years to 4G standards, which deliver fast speeds and improve
network efficiency.
AT&T said it is working with networking-equipment company
Ericsson and chip maker Intel Corp. on its 5G effort. It predicted
that 5G technology will bring wireless speeds that are 10 to 100
times faster than typical 4G connections, noting that speeds will
be measured in "gigabits per second, not megabits."
As part of the program, AT&T is testing fixed wireless
connections--essentially providing broadband to households through
the cellular network--and could make such a service commercially
available by year-end. Speeds of such a service would also be in
gigabits per second, the company said.
The 5G platform has gotten attention lately--rival Verizon
Communications Inc. is also planning trials for this year-- but its
ultimate form is still undecided. AT&T says it may have to
shift its strategy when the first official 5G standards are
released in 2018. Other industry observers don't expect 5G
deployments to really begin until 2020.
Last month, AT&T's chief strategy officer, John Donovan,
said the company has kept a low profile on 5G because it wants to
keep its options open on whether it will be an early or late
adopter of the platform "depending on whether we're going to
optimize to speed, capacity, or cost."
AT&T has applied for an experimental license with the
Federal Communications Commission to use various high-frequency
bands of airwaves in Austin, Texas, for developing 5G technology.
The company said it would conduct experiments using fixed stations
and vehicles within 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of Austin. The filings
were earlier reported by wireless engineering consultant Steven
Crowley.
Write to Thomas Gryta at thomas.gryta@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 12, 2016 00:15 ET (05:15 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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