During the testing process, devices powered by the Snapdragon X65 were connected to network infrastructure equipment provided by a variety of industry players. These included ZTE, Nokia Shanghai Bell and CICT Mobile. 

According to Qualcomm, the companies achieved over 7.1 Gbps download peak rate - using DDDSU frame structure -, and over 2.1 Gbps upload peak rate, utilising DSUUU frame structure. All the tests were completed – again, according to global technology company -, under the guidance of China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, alongside China’s IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group.

The tests took in core performance metrics such as single-user throughput, user plane/control plane latency, beam switching, and cell handover. They also demonstrated that “mmWave achieves higher speeds and lower latency than sub-6 GHz, using 5G mmWave-only [FR2-only] deployments, without an anchor on LTE or sub-6 GHz spectrum, allowing greater flexibility to deploy 5G and to meet higher capacity demand.” 

Qualcomm senior vice president and general manager, cellular modems and infrastructure, Durga Malladi, said: “Today is another significant milestone for 5G mmWave. As the world continues to see increased data demand, mmWave is playing a pivotal role in increasing network capacity at a lower cost for operators.

"We are proud to continue working with industry partners such as ZTE, Nokia and CICT Mobile to push the boundaries of connectivity and enable robust consumer and enterprise experiences.

“As the number of global internet users continues to grow significantly, 5G SA mmWave helps enable more industries and users to access unparalleled experiences and capabilities.” 

mmWave as a term refers to very short wavelength radio frequency spectrum, sitting between 30 and 300 GHz. The spectrum – which Qualcomm refers to as “abundant” – can, according to the provider, offer extreme capacity, ultra-high throughput and ultra-low latency.