US cable giant Charter Communications, which offers services under the Spectrum brand, has confirmed that it is working with Samsung Electronics America to carry out 4G LTE and 5G lab and field trials. The tests commenced this summer at various locations in the US and will run through to the end of the year. The 4G trials are being performed using 3.5GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, and utilise Samsung’s combined 4G LTE small cell technology in an outdoor environment to evaluate mobile use cases. The 5G trial, meanwhile, is evaluating fixed use cases using Samsung’s pre-commercial 28GHz mmWave system and devices.
Craig Cowden, Senior VP (Wireless Technology) at Charter Communications, commented: ‘We are pleased to collaborate with Samsung on these trials, which provide Charter better insight into how our advanced, powered, high speed network – which currently passes 49 million homes and businesses – can be used to enable 5G services. In addition, as we move closer to the launch of a Spectrum [MVNO] service in 2018, our work with Samsung on trials of 4G small cell technology will support our overall wireless strategy.’