Nokia and A1 Austria successfully verify 3CC CA in 5G SA trial network

Nokia and A1 Austria have successfully verified 3 Component Carrier Aggregation (3CC CA) in a 5G Standalone (SA) trial network in Austria, reaching data rates of 2 Gbps. The trial strengthens the latter's technology leadership and also highlights its commitment to bringing the most advanced technology to its customers.

CA is the key technology that allows mobile operators to reach higher throughputs and better coverage by combining different spectrum frequencies to efficiently utilize their spectrum resources. Carrier Aggregation can also help bring down the cost of deploying 5G networks.

"Nokia is the market leader in implementing 5G Carrier Aggregation solutions for different spectrum combinations. It has been exciting to support our trusted partner A1 in this trial showcasing how Carrier Aggregation is a major stepping stone for reaching Multi-Gigabit 5G data rates and enabling radio network efficiencies," said Mark Atkinson, SVP, Radio Access Networks at Nokia.

According to a press release by Nokia, the trial utilized its AirScale 5G baseband, a 5G smartphone, and a commercial 5G CPE over A1 Austria's 5G network. The trial successfully combined two mid-band carriers in the 3.5 GHz TDD band (n78) and one capacity carrier in the 2100 MHz FDD band (n1) for a total bandwidth of 160 MHz by using the CA technology.

With CA, A1 was able to increase the available bandwidth for mobile users by combining the power of its spectrum assets.

"This trial is an important milestone as we continue to deliver on our strategy of bringing best-in-class 5G services to our subscribers. Maximizing our spectrum assets will enhance coverage, capacity, and performance and we are pleased to continue to work with our long-standing partner, Nokia to realize the full potential of 5G technology," said Alexander Stock, CTO, A1 Austria, said in a statement on Monday.

Last year, A1’s network was ranked in the top 10 for the best mobile experience worldwide.