BT and Nokia have claimed a European first through combining four channels of spectrum on a 5G standalone network.
BT’s Networks team have merged four low-band and mid-band radio channels using Nokia’s 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) technology in EE’s live network spectrum.
The trial was first carried out in BT’s Radio Lab in Bristol and then performed outdoors onto a radio mast at BT’s Adastral Park in Suffolk where it successfully achieved four channels of spectrum on 5G standalone in EE’s radio spectrum.
BT managing director service platforms Greg McCall said: “5G Standalone, coupled with edge computing, will unlock new opportunities for customers looking to develop new services.
“Furthermore, this technology showcases what’s possible for devices in the future in terms of supporting carrier aggregation, which is an important part of customer experience.”
Nokia SVP radio access networks PLM Mark Atkinson added: “We are once again delighted to be deepening our partnership with BT, supporting them with our industry-leading Carrier Aggregation technology for this trial.
“Nokia and BT have a long history in investing in cutting-edge technologies and this trial is another example of what our companies can achieve together.”