Samsung has announced a deal to provide Open RAN compliant network equipment for 4G and 5G trials being carried out by Virgin Media O2.
In a statement, the firm said the trials will verify the capability and performance of its 4G and 5G network solutions in Virgin Media O2’s commercial network as well as assessing their interoperability with legacy 2G and 3G networks.
For the trial, Samsung will provide its advanced solutions which include its baseband unit, 5G Massive MIMO radios,as well as 4G radios on both low-band and mid-band spectrums.
“With this trial, we are excited to join hands with Virgin Media O2 to demonstrate the readiness of our 5G network solutions for deployment in the U.K. and our capabilities in bringing immersive and reliable 4G and 5G mobile experiences to users,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics.
“At Samsung, we are continuously enhancing mobile experiences through powerful network solutions that advance and drive 5G to new levels.”
Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “Vendor diversity is crucial to developing safe, secure, and more efficient networks.
“We look forward to undertaking these initial trials with Samsung, which is another milestone in our continued journey to provide the best possible 5G experience for our customers, as well as boosting our 4G network, as we look to upgrade the U.K.”