SK Telecom and Nokia Networks today said they plan to demo 5G in 2018 and commercialize 5G service in 2020.

A part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on January 21, 2015, SK Telecom and Nokia Networks will conduct joint researches to develop core 5G network technologies such as the gigabit-level data communications technology and cloud-based virtualized base station technology.

They plan to set up a test bed at SK Telecom’s Corporate R&D Center in Bundang, Seoul, to verify and demonstrate 5G technologies.

SK Telecom and Nokia will develop cmWave / mmWave 5G technology which uses wideband spectrum resources in ultra-high frequency bands (6GHz or higher) for data communications.

cmWave / mmWave 5G technology uses wideband spectrum resources from 6GHz or higher frequency bands for data communications. Combined with MIMO (multiple-input and multiple-output) technology, it supports gigabit-class data transmission.

Last week, British telecom regulator sought the UK mobile industry’s views on releasing 6GHz spectrum for 5G.

“By joining hands with Nokia, we expect to accelerate our speeds toward the development of core 5G technologies,” said Choi Jin-sung, executive vice president and head of Corporate R&D Center.

SK Telecom, which has more than 27 million mobile subscribers and revenue of KRW 16.602 trillion in 2013, has 16.3 million LTE and LTE-Advanced subscribers as of October 2014.

Baburajan K
[email protected]