Ericsson, T-Mobile, and Qualcomm achieve world’s first 6CC data call on live 5G network

Ericsson, T-Mobile and Qualcomm Technologies have achieved a new milestone - delivering the world's first six-component carrier aggregation (6CC) data call using sub-6GHz spectrum on a live production 5G network.

In this field test, the trio achieved a mind-blowing downlink speed above 3.6Gbps - fast enough to download a two-hour HD movie in less than 7 seconds.

Commenting on this achievement, Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology at T-Mobile, said, "We are pushing the boundaries of wireless technology to offer our customers the best experience possible. With the first and largest 5G standalone network in the country, T-Mobile is the only mobile provider serving 10s of millions of customers to unleash new capabilities like 5G carrier aggregation nationwide, and I am so incredibly proud of our team for leading the way."

The test involved the merging of six 5G channels of mid-band spectrum, including two channels of 2.5GHz Ultra Capacity 5G, two channels of Personal Communications Services (PCS) spectrum, and two channels of Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum. This merger created an effective 245MHz 5G channel, akin to transforming six separate highways into a colossal superhighway, enabling data traffic to surge at unprecedented speeds.

"This latest technology advancement with T-Mobile and Qualcomm Technologies comes as Ericsson continues to go beyond the bounds of its carrier aggregation journey. With this new milestone we have proven once again the versatility of our software innovation and how it helps our customers boost network capacity, coverage and performance," said Fredrik Jejdling, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Area Networks at Ericsson.