Nokia and Elisa achieve over 2 Gbps 5G uplink speeds on mmWave with Qualcomm solutions

Nokia, Elisa, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. today announced that they have achieved 5G uplink speeds of 2.1 Gbps. This was accomplished in a live demonstration at the Nokia Arena in Tampere in Finland. The new record, which follows the 8Gbps downlink speeds announced in 2020, will enable Elisa to offer ultra-high-performing, low-latency services that will enhance the experience for visitors to the venue. The solution is expected to be fully deployed by next year.

During the trial, Nokia provided its AirScale base station in 26 GHz mmWave spectrum over Elisa’s commercial 5G network. The network was connected to a 5G device powered by a Snapdragon X65 5G Modem-RF System featuring fourth-generation Qualcomm QTM545 mmWave antenna modules. Additionally, Nokia deployed its industry-leading Carrier Aggregation technology to make the best use of the available spectrum assets. The Carrier Aggregation setup included four component carriers of 100 MHz each.

The Nokia Arena is one of the first stadiums equipped with 5G mmWave. Uplink capabilities are important for new applications leveraging edge computing such as media broadcasting or high-definition streaming from the venue.

Once deployed, the service is expected to create new opportunities for at-venue data services such as real-time multi-user 8K ultra-high-definition video streaming, and augmented reality content for smartphones or wearable devices for immersive experiences. Visitors to the Arena will also be able to watch live performances from 360º camera locations via VR headsets from the comfort of their seats.

Broadcasters will benefit from enhanced video capture to support ultra-high quality live reporting and content delivered to mobile devices and televisions. At the same time, 5G technology will support optimizing venue operations and critical functions such as security.

Ari Kynäslahti, Head of Technology and Strategy at Nokia Mobile Networks, said: "5G mmWave stands out as an optimal solution for venues like stadiums, where large capacity and ultra-high data speeds are needed over a short distance for thousands of mobile users at the same time. Carrier Aggregation is the key to fully leveraging spectrum assets in different frequency bands. This successful project is another important milestone in our long-standing and well-established relationship with Elisa and Qualcomm Technologies. We look forward to seeing visitors enjoy innovative 5G experiences at the Nokia Arena soon."

Sami Komulainen, Executive Vice President, Production at Elisa, said: “Elisa is leading in the development of 5G services in Finland and this is yet another important step in our efforts to bring the fastest speeds and best 5G experiences to our customers. We previously announced reaching 8 Gbps downlink speeds with Nokia, and Qualcomm Technologies and now we have pushed the possibilities of 5G technology even further with this new trial reaching over 2 Gbps uplink speeds. This will deliver incredible and enhanced services to visitors of the Nokia Arena.”

Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm Europe, Inc., and President, Qualcomm Europe/MEA, said: “We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment which represents a significant milestone for 5G mmWave. The throughputs achieved today show the true potential for mmWave deployments and we are excited to continue collaborating with industry leaders to make 5G mmWave a commercial reality.”