Telecoms: Huawei and China Mobile bring 5G connectivity to Everest’s summit

Huawei and China Mobile bring 5G connectivity to Everest’s summit
By Ryan Daws. 1st May 2020. TechForge Media

Huawei and China Mobile have partnered up to bring 5G connectivity to the summit of the world’s highest mountain.

The partners set up a 5G base station 6,500 metres above ground which provides access to China Mobile’s dual-gigabit network. Other base stations were built at the Base Camp (5,300 metres) and the Transition Camp (5,800 metres).

So, if you're planning to climb Mt. Everest, be sure to bring along a 5G cell phone.

Why a 5G phone is not important (at least not today)

On the MacInTouch community forums, I recently wrote an article about why I don't think Apple's lack of a 5G iPhone matters to most people. For your benefit, I'm sharing the content (edited slightly) here as well.

Light Reading: AT&T, Ericsson & Qualcomm Get Ready to Test 5G Radio in 2017

AT&T, Ericsson & Qualcomm Get Ready to Test 5G Radio in 2017
Dan Jones, Mobile Editor. 1/4/2017

AT&T, Ericsson, and Qualcomm say that they are getting ready to test the initial 3GPP 5G New Radio (NR) specification in the second half of 2017.

The trio are preparing to test high-band frequencies for next-generation 5G technology, which should deliver "multi-gigabit Internet service" over the air. For the average Jane or Joe Blow on the street, this would mean an HD film downloaded wirelessly to their phone. Mobile 5G services are expected to arrive around 2020. AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), however, are trying to push out fixed 5G wireless before that, with friendly trials expected this year. (See 5G in US: Will Spectrum Be the Speed Bump?)

Although 5G consumer services are still several years away, I'm glad to read that the big players in the business are far enough along that they will be conducting trials later this year.

Fortune: Meet Ericsson’s first 5G device

Meet Ericsson’s first 5G device

This 5G test device may be too big to fit into a car, but it’s already outperforming every 4G phone on the market today.

Telecom firm Ericsson is testing out a new 5G device on the streets of Stockholm, Sweden and Plano, Texas, that will revolutionize mobile technology.
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Ericsson routinely clocks 2 Gbps in its outdoor tests. That’s already ten times faster than the 200 Mbps theoretical speeds available on today’s most powerful 4G networks, and it’s really only the beginning.
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"This is not only yet another system for mobile broadband," says Sara Mazur, Ericsson’s head of research. "The 5G system is the system that will help create a networked society."

A fascinating look into one company's "5G" wireless research and a possible glimpse at what we can expect to see in a few years. Read the whole article for more interesting information about this new tech.