Huawei, EE, Qualcomm claim 410Mbps via LTE Cat 9

Huawei, EE and Qualcomm have partnered for an LTE category 9 interoperability trial, claiming to have achieved download speeds of up to 410Mbps. The partners said this represents a significant step forward in the industry’s attempt to improve download speeds and reliability.

To carry out the test, Chinese vendor Huawei contributed its infrastructure solution across EE’s LTE-A network. Chip giant Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 processor with integrated LTE-A modem was also used.

“Huawei is dedicated to improving network capability across the UK – delivering fast speeds and more reliable connection to all mobile devices,” Yang Chaobin, Chief Marketing Officer at Huawei Wireless Network Business Unit said.

“This test is a truly ground-breaking moment as we move towards the 5G era. The LTE Category 9 interoperability test is the first successfully completed trial of its kind in Europe and we’re proud to be working alongside Qualcomm Technologies and EE to drive future networks.”

According to Huawei, the category 9 technology will improve download speeds for EE dramatically, allowing the operator to aggregate 20MHz of 1800MHz spectrum with another 20MHz of 2.66GHz, and a third carrier of 15MHz of 2.6GHz.

“Working closely with the excellent teams at Qualcomm Technologies and Huawei on the next generation LTE category 9 connectivity enables us to make full use of our spectrum holdings, and continue to offer world class network capabilities, innovating to stay one step ahead of operators in Europe,” Tom Bennett, Director of Network Services and Devices at EE said.

“Use of our remaining 15MHz of 2.6GHz spectrum enables both our fastest speeds and an increase in capacity across our network and this successful testing phase is a big step forward. We look forward to demonstrating this at Wembley Stadium early next year. ”

Enrico Salvatori, SVP & President of Qualcomm Europe said: “We are excited to work with EE and Huawei in ushering in the latest evolution of wireless connectivity. Transitioning from Category 6 to Category 9 LTE-A connectivity will mean 1.5x faster peak download speeds, swift application response times, reliable connectivity and connections to the fastest networks.”

EE and Huawei have collaborated before. In 2012 the operator partnered with the kit vendor to launch the UK’s first 4G LTE network. It was not clear when this latest round of technology testing will materialise into commercial reality.