T-Mobile has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by setting a new record for uplink speeds on its 5G standalone (SA) network. The company, listed on NASDAQ as TMUS, recently announced an impressive uplink speed of 345 Mbps during a test, utilizing an innovative feature known as UL Tx switching. This achievement stands as the fastest uplink speed ever recorded in North America using sub-6 GHz spectrum, showcasing the technology’s potential to revolutionize mobile data transmission.
UL Tx switching is a cutting-edge technology that facilitates seamless switching and the amalgamation of different frequencies, creating increased uplink capacity and higher speeds. In simpler terms, it can be likened to expanding the lanes on a 5G superhighway, providing additional capacity for faster data transmission from mobile devices to the network. This test harnessed the capabilities of carrier aggregation and SU-MIMO (single user multiple input, multiple output), resulting in uplink speeds that were 25% faster than T-Mobile’s previous record of 275 Mbps. The test utilized equipment from Nokia’s advanced next-generation AirScale portfolio and a mobile test smartphone powered by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.’s flagship Snapdragon Modem-RF system.
Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology at T-Mobile, emphasized the achievement as a testament to their dedication to innovation and enhancing the network experience for customers. He highlighted the potential of uplink transmit switching to significantly boost upload speeds and capacity, urging global partners to incorporate this capability into the evolving 5G ecosystem.
While T-Mobile’s 5G network has already demonstrated remarkable improvements in download speeds, this achievement underscores the importance of enhancing uplink speeds. Greater uplink speeds are crucial for activities such as content creation, sharing, remote work, collaboration, gaming, and emerging technologies like XR.
T-Mobile’s long-term partners, Nokia and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., expressed pride in collaborating on this significant achievement. Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, emphasized the collaborative effort in pushing the boundaries of what is possible with 5G. Durga Malladi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Technology Planning & Edge Solutions at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., highlighted the potential of switched uplink to meet the growing demand for upload-heavy user applications and use cases.
T-Mobile, known as the leader in 5G, boasts the largest, fastest, and most awarded 5G network in the U.S. Covering over 330 million people across two million square miles, T-Mobile’s 5G network surpasses the combined coverage of AT&T and Verizon. With over 300 million people covered by T-Mobile’s Ultra Capacity 5G, the Un-carrier continues to outpace competitors in both speed and coverage.
