Bharti Airtel, Nokia, and MediaTek Achieve Record 5G Uplink Speeds in India
New Delhi, India – Bharti Airtel, in collaboration with Nokia and MediaTek, has successfully completed trials that have set a new benchmark in 5G network performance. The trials, conducted at Airtel’s tech lab, combined the efficient use of Time Division Duplex (TDD) and Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) mid-band spectrum, achieving uplink speeds of 300 Mbps—the highest recorded on a 5G network to date.
The trial specifically aimed to maximize uplink performance by aggregating frequency bands of 3.5 GHz (n78) and 2.1 GHz (n1). This innovation, known as Uplink Tx (Transmission) switching, dynamically switches the uplink transmission across two carriers in the TDD and FDD spectrum more efficiently, resulting in significantly improved uplink performance.
The advanced uplink functionality promises faster connectivity, enhanced user experience, and improved network efficiency, particularly for data-intensive use cases such as video conferencing, live streaming, and large file uploads.
Statements from Key Figures
Randeep Sekhon, Chief Technology Officer at Bharti Airtel, said, “At Airtel, continuous innovation remains the bedrock of all our product and service offerings. This trial not only stands testament to our philosophy of enhancing our state-of-the-art network infrastructure and delivering an unmatched 5G user experience but will also greatly enhance our network’s uplink performance, resulting in faster data speeds and improved connectivity.”
Dr. Ho-Chi Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication Systems and Partnerships at MediaTek, said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Bharti Airtel and Nokia on this groundbreaking trial in India where our Dimensity 5G mobile platform played a crucial role in achieving the highest uplink speeds on Airtel’s 5G network. This partnership underscores our commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology that enhances the connectivity experience for users.”
Tarun Chhabra, Country Manager and Head of Mobile Networks Business at Nokia, India, said, “We are proud to partner with our long-term partner Airtel on this ground-breaking project. Uplink Tx switching will pave the way for superior 5G networks, enabling seamless data transfer in mobile devices and driving demand for data-intensive applications like XR. We congratulate Bharti Airtel for achieving this milestone and pushing the boundaries of connectivity to new realms.”
For this advanced trial, Airtel utilized equipment from Nokia’s next-generation 5G AirScale radio portfolio, while MediaTek provided its Dimensity 5G mobile platform as the user equipment.
Doubts Revealed
Bharti Airtel -: Bharti Airtel is a big company in India that provides mobile and internet services. They help people connect to the internet and make phone calls.
Nokia -: Nokia is a company that makes technology for phones and networks. They help build the systems that allow our phones to work.
MediaTek -: MediaTek is a company that makes chips for electronic devices like smartphones. These chips help the devices run smoothly.
5G -: 5G is the fifth generation of mobile network technology. It is much faster than the older 4G and allows for quicker internet and better connectivity.
Uplink Speeds -: Uplink speeds refer to how fast data can be sent from your device to the internet. Higher uplink speeds mean you can upload videos or send files faster.
300 Mbps -: 300 Mbps stands for 300 Megabits per second. It is a measure of how fast data can be transferred. Higher numbers mean faster speeds.
Time Division Duplex (TDD) -: TDD is a way of sending and receiving data using the same frequency but at different times. It helps in managing the data flow efficiently.
Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) -: FDD is another way of sending and receiving data, but it uses different frequencies for sending and receiving. This helps in reducing interference and improving performance.
Mid-band Spectrum -: Mid-band spectrum refers to a range of frequencies used for wireless communication. It offers a good balance between speed and coverage.
Uplink Tx Switching -: Uplink Tx switching is a technology that helps improve the speed and efficiency of sending data from your device to the internet.
