Nokia has completed a 5G New Radio (5G NR) data call as part of a Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) 5G Technology R&D trial in China.

Nokia has conducted the dual connectivity call using a 5G NR system over-the-air on the 3.5GHz frequency band and LTE in the 2.1 GHz frequency band, supported by a 5G user equipment simulator provided by PRISMA Telecom Testing.

For existing 4G operators, dual connectivity will allow them to more rapidly create 5G coverage and services by connecting 5G NR to a 4G radio that is connected to an existing Cloud Packet Core.

The Finland-based telecom networking maker said the 5G NR data call is an important step toward the verification of 5G in the sub-6 GHz frequency bands. China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom will be gearing up for 5G launches in 2020 – targeting IoT revenues.

Engineers used the Nokia AirScale Cloud RAN, Nokia AirScale baseband unit, Nokia 5G Massive MIMO Active Antenna, Nokia Cloud Packet Core and Nokia home subscriber service together with a 5G end user equipment simulator provided by PRISMA Telecom Testing for the data call.

Telecom engineers used the Nokia AirFrame data center solution to control the Cloud RAN. Nokia will continue to work with MIIT through 2018 trialing 5G in the 4.9 GHz frequency bands.

Marc Rouanne, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: “Nokia is ready to support dual connectivity with the AirScale radio access portfolio as it is upgradeable via software to 5G and provides single RAN support for 4G, 4.5G Pro and 4.9G as well as legacy technologies.”

PRISMA Telecom Testing is a key global player in the Radio Access Network testing arena, capable of supporting all 3GPP mobile technologies, Enrico Bendinelli, president of PRISMA Telecom Testing, said.