U.S. Cellular has completed testing of 5G use cases at 28GHz in rural and suburban areas in Madison, Wisconsin in association with telecom gear maker Ericsson.

U.S. Cellular has achieved peak throughput speed of 8.5 Gbps during the 5G trials. In addition, U.S. Cellular has tested virtual reality, achieving peak speeds of 4 Gbps. This virtual reality test has proved how the ultra-high speeds and low latency of 5G will enable VR applications. The companies tested augmented reality, advanced beamforming and massive MIMO.

The live over-the-air trials expanded on 5G trials between the two companies in 2016 that achieved 9 Gbps at 15GHz.

“This was an important trial for us to understand the propagation characteristics and path loss at 28 GHz. Our customers deserve to have a network that keeps up with their lifestyle, so we are constantly working to ensure that they will always have access to the latest technology and data speeds available,” said Michael S. Irizarry, chief technology officer, U.S. Cellular.

According to Ericsson Mobility Report, approximately 25 percent of all subscriptions will be 5G in North America in 2022, representing the highest market penetration in the world.