Verizon customers will be able to take the power of 5G global
Verizon is the first US wireless network to secure 5G global roaming service
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BASKING RIDGE, NJ - Continuing its global 5G leadership, Verizon has become the first US operator to successfully complete 5G global roaming trials and have a commercially ready 5G global roaming service. Customers traveling from the US to South Korea with a compatible device can enjoy the benefits of 5G service internationally.
The successful trials for voice, data and text messaging were conducted on the live production 5G network in South Korea with a prototype device using dual frequencies. The 5G device, which can access 5G services in the US using mmWave spectrum, accessed 5G on 3.5 GHz spectrum in Korea. Average speeds recorded during the trial were 252 Mbps downlink and 119 Mbps uplink.
This is the first step in global 5G interoperability.
“As 5G matures, the global implications are enormous,” said Kyle Malady, Chief Technology Officer for Verizon. “From global manufacturing and supply chain, to international AR/VR experiences, the globalization of 5G has huge implications across countless industries for consumers and enterprises. Imagine being able to get the best medical treatment from anywhere in the world through telemedicine, shop in the finest boutiques in Italy through augmented reality, play against the champions in online gaming anywhere in the world, or manage manufacturing operations across continents in real time remotely. Our team is leading the way to make those possibilities a reality and this is an important first step.”
More countries to come
South Korea is just the first of many countries with whom Verizon is forging global 5G roaming partnerships. Preparations for trials with other countries are underway.
“We are in the early phases of global roaming partnerships with other countries and will continue to look for strategic partnerships with international providers who, like Verizon, are leading the 5G evolution. This roaming service with South Korea will serve as a model as we engage with 5G providers in other countries to provide our customers who travel globally with more options,” said Malady.
Verizon’s global vision
The power of 5G does not stop at national borders, and Verizon has been leading global efforts around 5G. Verizon is a founding member of the 5G Future Forum, a group of global 5G leaders accelerating the delivery of mobile edge compute (MEC) -enabled solutions around the world.
The mission of the 5G Future Forum (5GFF) is to develop 5G interoperability specifications to accelerate the delivery of 5G and MEC solutions around the world. The Forum’s founding members have been working to create the governance structure for the 5GFF, as well as develop both technical and commercial workstreams.
The Forum will release its first technical specifications to its members in the third quarter of 2020 – a major step forward in enabling global interoperability for 5G and mobile edge compute deployment to deliver efficient and innovative services to customers.