Samsung Electronics announced on October 19 that the company and Virgin Media O2 would conduct 4G and 5G trials. The trials would include testing the capabilities and performance of Samsung-developed 4G and 5G network solutions in Virgin Media’s commercial network.
Virgin Media O2 is fairly a new company, given that it launched in June 2021 as a joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica. Within a short span of time, the company has been able to acquire 47 million connections across a number of platforms. For the joint trial, Samsung will offer its advanced solutions, which include its baseband unit, 5G Massive MIMO radios, 4G radios.
Samsung’s latest baseband unit supports 4G and 5G technologies in a single unit, but more importantly, it has improved performance. Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales and Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement, “With this trial, we are excited to join hands with Virgin Media O2 to demonstrate the readiness of our 5G network solutions for deployment in the U.K. and our capabilities in bringing immersive and reliable 4G and 5G mobile experiences to users. At Samsung, we are continuously enhancing mobile experiences through powerful network solutions that advance and drive 5G to new levels.”
On the other hand, Jeanie York, the Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2 said, “Vendor diversity is crucial to developing safe, secure, and more efficient networks. We look forward to undertaking these initial trials with Samsung, which is another milestone in our continued journey to provide the best possible 5G experience for our customers, as well as boosting our 4G network, as we look to upgrade the U.K.”
As mentioned above, Samsung will also provide 5G Massive MIMO radios; the compact design will ensure its easy and quick installation for operators while offering increased coverage and data coverage.
Although almost all the tech companies are trying to develop and perfect their respective 5G technologies, Samsung is one of the few that have successfully delivered 5G end-to-end solutions. The South Korean tech giant is now dedicated to providing mobile operators with network solutions.
Julia Lopez, Minister for Media, Data, and Digital Infrastructure, said, “We’re investing £250 million to put the UK at the forefront of 5G innovation so more people and businesses can benefit from improved and secure connectivity. It is fantastic to see the industry supporting this push with Virgin Media O2 and Samsung working together to increase competition, resilience, and choice in the 5G supply market.”
