NTT DOCOMO Announces Collaborations with World-Leading Vendors for 5G Mobile Communications Trials

Strategic Insights -

NTT DOCOMO, INC. has entered into individual collaborations with five additional world-leading vendors--Intel Corporation, Keysight Technologies, Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG--with respect to trials and technological development of 5G mobile communications. This move is part of DOCOMO's ongoing efforts to accelerate the development of 5G technology, which it aims to introduce commercially in 2020. The envisioned collaborations will include experimental trials of 5G handset chipsets with Intel, measuring instruments with Keysight Technologies and Rohde & Schwarz, multi-frequency-band control units with Panasonic, and trials and innovations on the 5G radio interface with Qualcomm Technologies.

Key Takeaways:

  • NTT DOCOMO has entered into individual collaborations with five world-leading vendors--Intel Corporation, Keysight Technologies, Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG--to advance 5G mobile communications trials.
  • DOCOMO has already collaborated with eight other world-leading vendors--Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Huawei, Mitsubishi Electric, NEC, Nokia, and Samsung--since May 2014.
  • The envisioned collaborations will include experimental trials of 5G handset chipsets with Intel, measuring instruments with Keysight Technologies and Rohde & Schwarz, multi-frequency-band control units with Panasonic, and trials and innovations on the 5G radio interface with Qualcomm Technologies.
  • 5G is expected to support ultra-high-speed data transmissions of over 10Gbps and 1,000 times the capacity of LTE, addressing the proliferation of connected items in the emerging Internet of Things (IoT).
  • DOCOMO and its vendor-partners expect to begin technical discussions and various trials at the DOCOMO R&D Center in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture within the current fiscal year ending in March 2016.
  • The collaborations are expected to evaluate and verify DOCOMO's proprietary 5G technologies, thereby accelerating 5G standardization.
  • DOCOMO aims to commercialize 5G technology in 2020.

Statistics:

  • 5G is expected to support ultra-high-speed data transmissions of over 10Gbps.
  • 5G has aggressive performance goals that will be addressed with multiple enabling technologies including mmWave frequencies, ultra-broad bandwidths, massive MIMO, and new air-interfaces.
  • DOCOMO has collaborated with 13 world-leading vendors--12 since May 2014 and 1 new addition, bringing the total to 13.
  • 5G is expected to address the proliferation of connected items in the emerging Internet of Things (IoT).

Sources:

  • NTT DOCOMO, INC. press release (Jul 22, 2015)
  • Intel Corporation press release (Jul 22, 2015)
  • Keysight Technologies, Inc. press release (Jul 22, 2015)
  • Panasonic Corporation press release (Jul 22, 2015)
  • Qualcomm Technologies press release (Jul 22, 2015)
  • Rohde & Schwarz GmbH & Co. KG press release (Jul 22, 2015)