SK Telecom announced it has completed a field trial for its 5G system over 28-GHz millimeter-wave frequencies in an outdoor environment.
In collaboration with Samsung, the company tested 5G millimeter wave technologies including transmitter, receiver and antenna technologies.
The companies also used the trial to test 3D beamforming, the key 5G technology involving compensating for radio propagation loss over higher frequency bands by steering antenna beams in both horizontal and vertical technologies.
SK Telecom and Samsung built the millimeter wave 5G system used for the test at the end of August last year, and have been conducting field tests using outdoor 5G base stations since October.
SK Telecom said the results will help with its efforts to conduct preparation work for 5G, including plans to build 5G pilot networks within the end of the year.
"This 5G field trial is one of the key milestones for the world's first 5G commercialization," Samsung Electronics head of communications research for mobile Cheun Kyung-whoon said.
“Samsung will prove the feasibility of key technologies with SK Telecom. This strategic collaboration will lead to the early adoption of 5G communications and provision of immersive service experience to end-users."