Samsung Electronics has announced that it will carry out 4G and 5G trials with Virgin Media O2, which is a joint venture between Liberty Global and Telefónica in the U.K, launched in June 2021.
Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics, Woojune Kim stated:
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.
Through these trials, the two companies will substantiate the potential and performance of 4G and 5G network solutions of the tech giant in the commercial network of Virgin Media O2. The trials will evaluate the interoperability between 2G and 3G legacy networks of Virgin Media O2 and the latest solutions developed by Samsung as well.
Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, Jeanie York stated:
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.
Samsung will supply its baseband unit, and 5G Massive MIMO radio along with 4G radios on both low-band and mid-band spectrum for the trial, while "being Open RAN compliant with some configuration changes and additional support in the future". Its latest baseband unit provides enhanced performance while sustaining both 4G and 5G technologies in a single unit. The company"s 5G Massive MIMI radios, with their convenient design, offer enhanced data speeds and coverage for supporting improved 5G end-user experiences.
Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure, Julia Lopez stated:
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 industry supporting this push with Virgin Media O2 and Samsung working together to increase competition, resilience and choice in the 5G supply market.
Currently, Samsung is supplying network solutions to mobile operators that provide connectivity across the globe. With 47 million connections across home phone, TV, mobile, and broadband, Virgin Media O2 is one of the U.K."s largest businesses that provides connectivity services, applications and digital services to various public sector organizations and businesses.