NEC, NTT Docomo to conduct trials on 5G technologies

Japan-based companies NEC Corporation and NTT Docomo have tied up to jointly conduct trials for fifth generation (5G) technologies.

NTT Docomo is also working with Finnish telecom giant Nokia for research on 5G.

"NEC Corporation has reached an agreement with NTT Docomo to jointly conduct trials aimed at the practical use of technologies for a 5th-generation mobile communication standard (5G)," NEC Corporation said in a statement.

As part of these trials to realise 5G capability, NEC and NTT Docomo aim to verify enhanced time-domain beamforming technologies with a very large number of antennas for small cells, the statement added.

5G is a new mobile communication standard representing an advancement in the current 4G or LTE standards currently adopted around the world.

It can provide speed of 10 Gbps, which is 100 times faster than the mobile technology used these days.

5G is the subject of international research and companies like Huawei, Nokia and Samsung are also doing research on the technology.

The technology is likely to be ready for commercial use by 2020 and is also expected to address issues such as increased terminal penetration and the sharp rise in traffic by offering more than one thousand times the capacity of LTE.

"NEC and NTT Docomo have a long history together as trusted partners and we are delighted to continue and expand our relationship with this trial of 5G," NEC Corporation Executive Vice President Shunichiro Tejima said.

Tejima added NEC will contribute to the early establishment of 5G technology by leveraging its small cell technology and know-how.