Saudi telecom operator Mobily, along with Ericsson, held a 5G demo at the Mall of Arabia in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, showcasing the capabilities of the future mobile technology. Ericsson supplied Mobily with a standalone end-to-end 5G system, including a prototype 3.5 GHz radio, baseband, and prototype UE device for the 5G demo, which showcased 5G throughput, targeting speeds of up to 1Gbps.
The demo is part of Mobily’s plan to highlight expected 5G benefits consumers and industries across Saudi Arabia. 5G will deliver high-data speeds and low latency, which will enhance user experience for Mobily customers. 5G is also one of the primary enablers for new and emerging use cases in industries such as autonomous fleet management, robotics and critical machine-to-machine communication in healthcare.
Ericsson’s 5G platform across radio, core and transport networks enables operators to evolve to 5G capabilities at a speed that matches their own business strategy. This transition takes place while also enhancing current 4G business by reducing risk and making best use of current infrastructure.
Globally, the first commercial 5G networks and devices based on the 3GPP standards are expected towards the end of 2018, and regional operators are pushing to meet this timeline. According to the Ericsson Mobility Report, June 2018 edition, first-generation, 5G data-only devices are expected from the second half of 2018. The first commercial smartphones supporting 5G in the mid-bands are expected early next year, while support for very high spectrum bands is expected in early to mid-2019. Ericsson estimates the number of 5G subscriptions will reach one billion by the end of 2023.
