Telecom Italia claims millimeter wave lab first

In a day/era of 5G firsts Italian operator TIM (Telecom Italia) is claiming its new lab for testing millimeter wave kit is the first of its kind in Europe.

Higher frequencies will have a major role to play in 5G as we search for the radio real estate needed to enable wireless data speeds in excess of 1 Gbps. This lab, which is located in Turin, will be used as the hub for developing the kit needed to exploit frequencies above 6 GHz. It will feature two catchily-named pieces of testing kit: the Far-Field Compact Antenna Test Range and the Spherical Near-Field Test Range.

“5G will support a new range of services and application able to support the digitalization of the economy, with a special focus on Internet of Things and Vertical Markets (transportation, logistic, automotive, health, manufacturing, energy, media, entertainment),” said Gabriela Styf Sjoman, Head of Engineering &TILab of TIM.

“To support all these applications a strong capacity and performance increase of the wireless network is required. Very high frequencies and innovative antenna systems are among the main building blocks of 5G. The new Lab opened in Torino will allow us to understand, develop and exploit these new technologies, and to cooperate with key international partner to accelerate equipment availability.”

Inevitably the lab will muck in to the broader 5G effort, which is rapidly turning into one of the greatest collaborative events in human history. With the US and the Far East announcing 5G milestones on a daily basis it’s good to see European companies represent themselves strongly too.