The initial test results demonstrated download speeds of 1 Gbps indicating the capability of 5G FWA networks to serve as an alternative to FTTH for domestic ultrabroadband connectivity
– The next phase, which began this February, will run for a five-month period in Milan to put the network to test

Samsung Electronics and Fastweb today announced an agreement to conduct Italy’s first 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) trial on commercial spectrum. Companies are trialing to demonstrate how 5G FWA networks could serve as a compelling alternative to FTTH (Fiber-to-the-Home) to deliver ultra broadband connectivity and gigabit experience to end users.

Following the recently signed agreement by the companies, the trial – which has already started the first week of February – will last for five months across multiple residences and offices in Milan, the second largest city in Italy.

In the first week of the trial – held on 26GHz of spectrum recently acquired by Fastweb during Italy’s 5G frequencies auction in October 2018 – download speeds reached 1 Gbps. The next steps of the trial will verify the effectiveness of 5G FWA networks concerning the cost and time for its deployment compared to conventional FTTH roll-out as well as potential operational challenges in the provision of the service to the end customers.

Samsung supplies Fastweb with an end-to-end 5G FWA solution that includes core, 5G Radio Access Units that leverages millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum to provide high-density coverage and ultra-high-bandwidth connectivity to 5G home routers (Indoor Customer Premise Equipment), installed in nearby homes or offices.

Samsung’s compact 5G Access Units are easy to rapidly deploy, while the CPE is self-installing. This gives 5G Fixed Wireless considerable advantages over comparable FTTH or FTTB (Fiber-to-the- Building) deployments in terms of service rollout times and costs to both the service provider and the subscriber. At the same time, the service is robust – able to deliver gigabit broadband speeds to neighbourhoods – and can very easily be extended to support new services in the future.

“We are excited to deliver the first 5G FWA end-to-end connectivity in Italy with Fastweb to bring the next generation speed to users,” said Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung will work with Fastweb to turn the vast potentials of 5G FWA using 26GHz into true benefits for both customers and enterprises.”

“This trial has already confirmed the outstanding performances of 5G FWA and the capability of this technology to provide a “fiber-like” ultrabroadband service to families and business in areas not reached by FTTH. To accomplish our mission of addressing the market needs and enhancing user experience, we will leverage 5G FWA to expand the coverage of our proprietary ultra-broadband infrastructure,” said Alberto Calcagno, CEO Fastweb.

“We are confident that with this trial with Samsung, we can demonstrate both the technical and commercial feasibility of mmWave FWA in Italy.”

Fastweb is moving forward with these tests because Italy offers the ideal conditions for 5G FWA technology to power domestic broadband, thanks to fiber being widely available at cabinet level, making it easier to deploy antennas for 5G FWA at ideal distance from the buildings. Furthermore, TV antennas are pre-installed on 99 percent of the roofs, facilitating easy installation of additional equipment. After the tests are successful, Fastweb will usher in a new generation of connectivity to Italy.

About Fastweb

With 2.5 million wireline customers and 1.5 million mobile customers, Fastweb is a major Italian telecom operator, providing a wide range of voice and data services, on wireline and wireless networks, to families and businesses. Since its creation in 1999, the company has focused on innovation and infrastructures to provide high quality ultra-broadband connectivity. Thanks to the continuous expansion of its ultrabroadband network, Fastweb today reaches 22 million households, of which 8 with a proprietary infrastructure, with connection speeds of up to 1 Gigabit.

From advancements in chips and networking equipment, to next generation devices, Samsung is bringing a 5G world to life

Samsung Electronics will kick off MWC19 by pushing boundaries and driving 5G momentum forward with new collaborations and innovations for both for consumers and enterprises. From debuting the next generation of mobile experiences with the new Galaxy S10 5G to enriching its visionary global connectivity journey, Samsung is spearheading a new era of connected living.

At MWC19, Samsung will show how, through innovation, openness and scale, it’s leading the way in 5G and changing how people connect and communicate. For the first time ever on display, Samsung will show its new Galaxy S10 5G mobile phone, designed with the best hardware and software to take advantage of the full 5G experience. Also on display will be a full spectrum of equipment that helps make widescale 5G deployment possible. They include the next generation multi-mode modem chips and RF modules that are smaller in size, more energy-efficient and at the cutting-edge of technology, demonstrating Samsung’s innovation leadership beyond mobile and display. Samsung will also announce new partnerships with carriers and technology suppliers to support everyone’s path to 5G.

“At Samsung, we believe in delivering innovations that impact consumer lives,” said DJ Koh, President and CEO of IT & Mobile Communications Division, Samsung Electronics. “For more than 35 years, we’ve led the industry in new hardware and services that have helped to revolutionize the consumer experience. At MWC this year, we’re showcasing the remarkable breadth of our expanding connected ecosystem, from game-changing 5G end-to-end solutions to outstanding new additions to the Galaxy family such as Galaxy Fold and Galaxy S10 5G.”

The Galaxy S10 5G is being showcased for the first time at Barcelona’s Mobile World Congress 2019

Pioneering the Next Decade with New Mobile Devices

For the past decade, Samsung has been at the forefront of 5G research and development, and the fruit of its labor is the transformation of 5G from an ambitious theoretical concept into reality. The company delivered the world’s first gigabit speed 5G transmission, the first 5G handover between multiple cells, and now, the company’s first 5G smartphone in the Galaxy S10 5G.

The Galaxy S10 5G puts unprecedented power, speed and connectivity directly into the hands of consumers with the most powerful feature set available on a Galaxy S line device. With 5G connectivity, Galaxy S10 5G can access network speeds up to roughly 20 times faster than 4G networks, enabling an elevated mobile experience that benefits from powerful hot-spotting, hyper-fast streaming, 4K video-calls and next-level mobile gaming.

In addition to 5G mobile devices, Samsung continues to expand its complete ecosystem of devices, delivering exciting and powerful new mobile experiences, from wearables to tablets. At MWC this year, Samsung will showcase its latest product innovations – all seamlessly united under the renowned Galaxy family.

• The future unfolds with Galaxy Fold: Experience the world’s first 7.3-inch, Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex Display on the Galaxy Fold. Category-defining innovation, Galaxy Fold showcases a breakthrough design and an entirely new user experience.

• Celebrating a decade of innovation with the new Galaxy S line-up: With four unique premium options, including the 5G model, the new Galaxy S10 range is engineered to deliver next-generation features in display, camera and next-level performance.

• The reinforced mid-tier portfolio with the new Galaxy A series: Galaxy A50 and A30 offer innovations to essential features with high specifications. Designed for the way we connect today, the new line-up offers a range of variants to welcome an even more diverse range of consumers into the Galaxy family.

• Balanced and connected living with new Galaxy wearables: Samsung expands its Galaxy ecosystem with the Galaxy Watch Active and Galaxy Buds. Built for the health-focused consumers, these wearables put the style in healthy lifestyle.

• The versatile Galaxy Tab S5e: The Tab S5e is a new super slim, light and sleek Galaxy tablet designed with powerful entertainment features packed into a stylish and affordable device, which features Bixby for the first time in a tablet.

Demonstrating Real-World 5G Scenarios Unlocked by Samsung Commercial Solutions          

Leveraging its commercially-proven 5G leadership, Samsung will present multiple live demonstrations to show real-world 5G experiences:

• 5G NR live demonstration with Samsung network and smartphone using 3.5GHz and 28GHz bands: A mobile edge cloud game on the company’s first 5G smartphone will be demonstrated live, by being connected to Samsung’s live 5G network solutions. In addition, 5G Multi-user MIMO will be demonstrated.

• First live 5G broadcast at MWC19: The first live broadcasting of GSMA ‘Mobile World Live TV’ using Samsung’s 5G network solutions at Broadcast Village, Gran Via. It will broadcast live throughout the venue and to 280 hotels in Barcelona during the show.

• Live demonstration of 5G-powered technology for the industry: Samsung, Cisco and Orange Spain will demonstrate diverse 5G-powered use cases to show how low latency and high speed of 5G technology can be applied for the industry at Orange booth (Hall3 3K10).

• Samsung & Zhilabs’ automated 5G network solutions: Samsung will demonstrate live AI-based 5G network management solutions with Zhilabs, acquired by Samsung through acquisition in October 2018. It helps operators to optimize 5G network performance automatically.

Next Generation 5G Chipsets

In addition, Samsung will show its new next generation 5G Radio Frequency (RF) chipsets, supporting 28GHz and 39GHz. Using these new RF chipsets, Samsung 5G base stations will be approximately 25 percent smaller, lighter and less power consuming compared to previous iterations.

5G base stations use almost one thousand antennas and several radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC) to utilize mmWave spectrum. With this next-generation chipset, Samsung helps improve network equipment performance through decreased noise levels, and improvement in the linearity characteristics of the RF power amplifier.

“We at Samsung have combined our expertise in being one of the early innovators in 5G commercial services – above and below 6GHz bands to date and this ground-breaking leadership led us to achieve over 36,000 5G base station shipments as of February 2019,” said Paul Kyungwhoon Cheun, Executive Vice President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Being the only company in the world to deploy and provide 5G end-to-end solutions in the U.S. and Korea, we will continue to advance our innovative endeavors and push the boundaries in 5G technology.”

Samsung’s portfolio of chips includes the Exynos Modem 5100, fully compliant with the 3GPP 5G NR standard to support new spectrums including below and above 6GHz for faster data speeds up to 6Gbps.Their innovative capabilities and the technological innovations are fully demonstrated through the range of 5G products.

Visit Samsung at MWC19 

To gain first-hand experience and to see live demonstrations of Samsung’s end-to-end 5G solutions, attendees can visit the official Samsung booth located in Hall 3 and the Samsung network booth in Hall 2 Stand 2M20 (invitational-only).