Verizon has completed the first deployment of FDD Massive MIMO on Verizon’s wireless network in Irvine, CA – in association with Ericsson.

Ericsson said the new milestone in 4G LTE Advanced Technologies will also serve as a stepping stone to 5G technology.

The deployment of Massive MIMO will improve spectral and energy efficiency, increasing network capacity for current devices in the market. Verizon will also achieve significant enhancements as and when new 5G devices are available. Verizon customers will benefit from higher and more consistent speeds for using apps and uploading and downloading files.

“While continuing to drive 5G development, the deployment of Massive MIMO offers very tangible benefits for our customers today.  As we innovate, we learn and continue to lay the groundwork and set the standards for 5G technology,” said Nicola Palmer, chief network officer of Verizon Wireless.

Massive MIMO deployment involves 16 transceiver radio units driving 96 antenna elements supplied by Ericsson. The deployment is running on a 20 MHz block of AWS spectrum. Ericsson has deployed four way transmit throughout the Verizon network contributing to significant 4G LTE advancements.

The high number of transmitters enables more possible signal paths in the deployment of Massive MIMO.  It enables beamforming, directing the beam from the cell site to customer directly, reducing interference and offering higher and more consistent speeds for wireless customers.

“Massive MIMO is a key technology enabler for 5G. 4G LTE service providers and end users can benefit from the superior capacity and network performance this technology enables,” said Niklas Heuveldop, head of Market Area North America at Ericsson.