Vodafone Group, in collaboration with Qualcomm and Xiaomi, recently conducted a trial of 5G uplink technology, aimed at significantly improving upload speeds and expanding mobile coverage. This test, defined as the first of its kind in Europe, marks a step forward in the world of mobile connectivity. The project reportedly saw the integration of Vodafone's standalone (SA) 5G network with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and Xiaomi's next flagship smartphone, according to a joint statement. The combined use of these three elements has made it possible to reach peak upload speeds of up to 273Mb/s, more than double the average speed of “many of today's smartphones and home broadband services”, which stand at 100Mb/s . This increase brings upload speeds closer to download speeds, which are traditionally higher.
The upgrade in uplink capabilities is particularly significant ahead of the launch of next-generation devices expected this year. According to the companies involved, this will allow faster uploads of photos and videos to social media and the cloud. Furthermore, it will help meet the growing demand for applications in virtual and augmented reality and in the world of gaming. The key technology to achieve this improvement was uplink carrier aggregation with Tx switching, which combines multiple transmission channels supported by Xiaomi's smartphone and mobile antennas.
Alberto Ripepi, Vodafone's chief network officer, said the company's goal is for its customers “to be among the first in the world to benefit from this new 5G feature as soon as it becomes available.” He also highlighted Vodafone's efforts in “strengthening an ecosystem of suppliers and developers”. Pilot tests were conducted in Spain and Germany, using Vodafone's commercial 5G SA network in the latter country. Vodafone Germany had launched commercial SA 5G services in 2021 with Ericsson and Oppo and plans to roll out this technology along rail routes connecting the country's major cities by 2025.
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