What is mmWave Technology?

5G utilizes variety of frequency bands one of which is millimeter-wave or “mmWave.” mmWave generally refers to 24-100 GHz; a frequency range that can carry an incredible amount of data and, when coupled with advancements in coding techniques, can carry thousands of times more data than a low band signal. That is one of the reasons mmWave is seen as a key technology and vital component to 5G network performance. Because of its ability to handle large swaths of data, mobile network operators can benefit from leveraging mmWave wherever a very high throughput is needed, whether indoors or outdoors. Indoor sites would get the benefits of multi-gigabit speeds and very low latencies, especially useful in larger spaces like airports, train stations and event venues. Outdoor sites benefit from quick deployment and the capacity increase provided to existing networks, especially in urban areas. Globally, we’re seeing mmWave leveraged in Italy, the UK, Finland, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Japan and the US. In the US, one of the major carriers has placed a heavy emphasis on 5G mmWave and has average download speeds of nearly 700 Mbps, 2-3x as fast as their competitors. In Korea, Samsung used 5G mmWave as backhaul to help get download speeds of 1.8 Gbps on a fast-moving subway train. Samsung also offers various mmWave 5G end-to-end solutions, including the Compact Macro, which combines the baseband, radio, and antenna into a single unit, as well as 5G mmWave small cells for indoor and outdoor environments. The ways we’re seeing mmWave utilized to advance technology today is just the start. Learn more about how mmWave will continue to allow mobile operators to provide speeds faster than 4G and support new 5G services.