Korean telecom operator LG U+ has completed the pre-commercial trial of the world’s first live ultra-high-definition (UHD) IPTV over 5G FWA with a chipset based 5G millimeter-wave CPE.

Huawei, the technology partner of LG U+, the trial demonstrated UHD IPTV over 5G and up to 2Gbps capacity of Huawei’s CPE in an end-to-end 5G network — aimed at commercial FWA applications. It verified 5G FWA service research results of both sides, as well as FWA service scenarios in advance.

Telecom operators can utilize FWA (WTTx), a wireless broadband access solution, to offer wireless broadband services and benefit from characteristics of wireless wide coverage, rapid deployment and a fiber-like experience.

It will also help broadband operators to shorten their network construction cycle and save network costs. Huawei did not reveal the specific cost benefits to telecom operators who are going to use FWA.

LG U+ used Huawei’s 5G products, including 5G gNodeB, NG Core and 5G CPE during the FWA demo in Korea. LG U+ could verify UHD IPTV over 5G using a millimeter wave 28GHz band and watch UHD television programs, showing perfect 5G support for IPTV.

5G CPE developed by Huawei is the world’s first chipset based on CPE with a commercial engineering capability, including ODU (outdoor equipment unit) and IDU (indoor equipment unit). Huawei’s 5G CPE demonstrated more than a 2Gbps peak capacity, larger than the current rate of FTTx, highlighting 5G FWA application potential.

“This world’s first FWA test shows that, following LG U+ and Huawei’s cooperation in the LTE era, the investment of the two sides in 5G research has had breakthrough results,” said LG U+ 5G Network Strategy VP Kim Dae Hee.

Huawei 5G Product Line President Yang Chaobin said that the world’s first 5G CPE pre-commercial verification is an important contribution by LG U+ and Huawei to accelerate 5G commercialization.