What is mmWave Technology?

5G utilizes variety of frequency bands one of which is millimeter-wave or “mmWave.” mmWave generally refers to 24-100 GHz; a frequency range that can carry an incredible amount of data and, when coupled with advancements in coding techniques, can carry thousands of times as much data as a low band signal. That is one of the reasons mmWave is seen as a key technology and vital component that makes 5G network performance transformative.

Because of its ability to handle large swaths of data, mobile network operators can benefit from leveraging mmWave wherever a very high throughput is needed, whether indoors or outdoors. Indoor sites would get the benefits of multi-gigabit speeds, very low latencies, and immense in spaces like airports, train stations, event venues and sports arenas.  Outdoor sites benefit from quick deployment and the capacity increase provided to existing networks especially in urban areas.

Globally we’re seeing mmWave being leveraged in Italy, the UK, Finland, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Japan and the US. In the US, one of the major carriers has placed a heavy emphasis on 5G mmWave and has average download speeds of nearly 700 Mbps, 2-3x as fast as their competitors. In Korea, Samsung used 5G mmWave as backhaul to help get download speeds of 1.8 Gbps on a fast-moving subway train. Samsung also offers various mmWave 5G end-to-end solutions, including the Compact Macro, which combines the baseband, radio, and antenna into a single unit, as well as 5G mmWave small cells.

The ways we’re seeing mmWave utilized to advance technology today is just the start. Learn more about how mmWave will continue to allow mobile operators to provide mobile services at speeds faster than 4G and support new 5G services. 

Kali Pickens – Host, Director, Marketing, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics America
Shailesh Awasthy – Director of RF Engineering, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics America