Proximus 5G trial delivers movie download ‘in seconds’

Geert Standaert

Belgian service provider Proximus has inaugurated trials of 5G mobile technology in partnership with Chinese technology giant Huawei – the first operator in Belgium to test the technology.

According to Proximus, during the tests, speeds of up to 70Gbps were reached, more than 100 times faster than 4G, which enables the downloading of movies in seconds.

By comparison, according to Proximus, the maximum speed on 4G is 100-150Mbps while with 4G+ users can currently reach speeds of up to 225Mbps. Another intermediate technology, 4.5G, provides a peak speed of 1.1Gbps. This technology uses four wavelengths and new modulation techniques. Proximus plans to roll out 4.5G gradually as of 2017.

While the standards for 5G have yet to be finalised, Proximus said that the technology would require extra spectrum and an upgrade of the mobile network.

The operator said it wanted to see a clear legislative framework and a re-orientation of the regulation to stimulate investment in high-speed networks ahead of any 5G rollout.

“We’re committed to giving our customers – no matter where they are – the best calling, surfing and video experience and providing them with all the new opportunities that the “Internet of Things” world offers. To be ready for the future, Proximus and Huawei are already testing 5G, the next generation mobile Internet. After its pioneering work with 4G, 4G+ and LoRa, Proximus is the first to move towards 5G,” said Geert Standaert, CTO of Proximus.

“Huawei has been a frontrunner in the development of 5G technology and is present in various international workgroups to develop a common standard for 5G. We are proud of today’s first live demo in Belgium of the 70Gbps, which can achieve Ultra high throughput on E-band [73GHz]. We are pleased to showcase this technology together with Proximus. It is testimony of our recently re-confirmed partnership and it drives us to push the technology to deliver best-in-class 5G solutions to our clients,” said Pedro Ferreira, CEO of Huawei Belgium.