Maxis and Universiti Malaysia (UM) have jointly conducted a technical field trial of the 6GHz spectrum band to gain insights into real-world application of the wireless technology. The 6GHz trial studied the feasibility of adopting the spectrum band to cater to increasing mobile traffic and to provide better coverage in urban areas. It also allows UM students to better understand topology, spectrum analysis, system performance evaluation, cutting-edge technology and the latest spectrum trends.
Malaysia currently is one of the highest data consumers in the world and an average Maxis customer uses more than 30GB of data per month. Among the top data consumption drivers include video streaming, social networking and instant messaging which recorded a combined volume of almost 180,000 Terabytes. According to Maxis, this is the equivalent of the storage of the entire Netflix library and several lifetimes’ worth of 4K streaming.
To prepare for the future, Maxis is exploring new network technologies to cater to the current and future needs of data consumption and rising traffic growth. This includes exploring new spectrum bands and bringing academia into the mix.
From the 6GHz trial, they managed to get peak speeds of 1.28Gbps with 80MHz bandwidth using a prototype Active Antenna Unit and a prototype device. According to Maxis, results show good indoor penetration and the ability to achieve over 300Mbps speeds at locations more than 400 metres away from the mobile site, as well as the potential for improvements in mobile signal propagation with more advanced antenna technology.
Commenting on the trial, Maxis’ acting Chief Technology Strategy Officer Tan Cheng Peng said, “Our trial is an example of industry and academia working together for the greater good and advancing technology and spectrum knowledge. This will benefit UM students working on research projects in next-generation network technologies.”
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya Dean of Faculty of Engineering Professor Ir. Dr. Kaharudin Dimyati said “This trial allowed our students to learn about methodologies, metrics and tools used in assessing the performance of wireless communication systems. It bridges the gap between theory and practice, preparing them for future careers in the telecommunication industry.”
The results indicate that the upper 6GHz spectrum and new antenna technology could play a significant role in advancing the capabilities of mobile networks and improving user experience. The 6GHz spectrum can provide not only good indoor coverage and performance but also complement 5G by augmenting additional capacity on the 3.5GHz layer. Maxis says the trial data can be used as part of the spectrum adoption discussions by the regulator particularly for the upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23).
GSMA has recommended upper 6GHz as the next priority band for mobile operators to continuously increase capacity and lower costs on the road towards 5G-Advanced. The global association representing the telecommunications industry said for 5G to flourish, each country needs 2GHz of mid-band spectrum to meet demand by 2030 and it would be challenging to achieve without 6GHz.
GSMA added that mobile networks are already highly densified but 6GHz can enable growth of sustainable 5G capacity on existing sites. It recommends that at least 6425-7125MHz be made available for licenced 5G by 2030 while 5925-6425MHz should be considered for licensed 5G or licence-exempt on a technology-neutral basis.
Besides mobile networks, 6GHz can also be used for WiFi 6E. In May 2023, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced that it would allocate 500MHz of spectrum in the 6GHz band for WiFi use in Singapore. The move will pave the way for the deployment of WiFi 6E technology which supports 160MHz WiFi channels which is 2 to 8 times wider than existing 20-80MHz channels for 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands.
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