The company says that it will use this call for projects as an opportunity to assess the performances of these new frequency bands as well as the technical and environmental conditions in which these bands can be used.
In addition, it is also an opportunity to evaluate the benefits of this technology for innovative applications in very busy areas (railway stations, airports, stadiums, concerts, etc.) and to draw lessons for future developments of 5G.
“The 26GHz spectrum band will allow us to explore new services based on 5G,” said Mari-Noëlle Jégo-Laveissière (pictured), deputy CEO and chief technology and innovation officer of Orange. “We are aiming to set-up experimental platforms that will stimulate collaboration on these new use-cases across all economic sectors.”
The first experimentation phase will start before the end of 2019, with various steps in the testing process such as deployment of the test network; performance measurements (speed, coverage); partners testing the service using Sony devices equipped with a Qualcomm modem and processor. By 2020, passengers travelling through Rennes train station will be able to connect to 5G hotspots and download videos to their mobile or tablet in just a few seconds, and then watch them while traveling in the train. Additional services will be tested at a later stage.
The second experimentation will take place at the Orange Gardens 5G Lab. It is a site for collaborative innovation, providing Orange and its partners with an indoor and outdoor test environment with 5G connectivity.
In the next few months, the 5G Lab will open its doors to partners and companies who also want to test the local 5G network in the 26GHz band. In addition, evaluate its ability to deliver enhanced multimedia experiences in very busy places, as well as in certain mobile situations (4K/8K HD video streaming, 360°, augmented, virtual or mixed reality, 5G video production, online gaming in the cloud.
