Ericsson and SmarTone, the leading mobile network operator in Hong Kong are conducting FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) Massive MIMO trials as part of the operator’s network evolution plan towards 5G. The FDD Massive MIMO trial at 1800 MHz is the first of its kind in Hong Kong. It is proving the capabilities of this key technology ahead of the live deployment in 2018 of AIR 3246, Ericsson’s new radio that can support Massive MIMO over 4G/LTE with Ericsson’s 5G Massive MIMO Plug-In.
Massive MIMO is a key technology that bridges network evolution from 4G to 5G, adding intelligent capacity and boosting user experience. Massive MIMO on FDD yields a multi-fold increase of network capacity and increase user throughput by up to five times, boosting performance for end users.
Ericsson has recently launched its first radio, AIR 3246, supporting FDD Massive MIMO for both 4G and 5G. The technology enables operators - especially in metropolitan areas - to bring 5G to subscribers using today’s mid-band spectrum and boost capacity in their LTE networks.
