China Broadcasting Network, Qualcomm demo world’s first 700 MHz band 5G data call

China Broadcasting Network (CBN) in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies have together claimed to have successfully achieved the world’s first large-bandwidth 2x30MHz 5G data call demonstration in the 700MHz (Band n28) FDD spectrum band.

This demonstration was operated in compliance with the 2x30MHz technical specifications of CBN’s 700MHz FDD band and utilized a 5G smartphone form factor mobile test device powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System.

As said in the press note by Qualcomm, this demo achieved download speeds of more than 300 Mbps and provides a foundation for further enhancing the spectral efficiency of the 700MHz band.

As 5G commercial devices are ready with industry support for 700MHz spectrum band, support for CBN’s 700MHz network deployment will further advance China’s nationwide deployment of 5G.

In addition, Qualcomm Technologies has worked together with Vivo, ZTE, Quectel, Fibocom and Gosuncn to launch the first batch of commercial 5G devices that support CBN’s 700 MHz including smartphones, CPE and 5G modules, all powered by the flagship Snapdragon 865 5G Mobile Platform and/or the Snapdragon X55 5G Modem-RF System.

On June 6^th of 2019, CBN received a 5G commercial license granted by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, indicating the start of CBN's 5G network rollout. CBN’s 700MHz 5G FDD band is an optimal frequency band to provide wide coverage, fast speeds, strong penetration, and service continuity, which are important aspects not only for traditional mobile services, but also for new vertical enterprise customers. In the past year, CBN has been actively expediting the commercial readiness of its commercial 5G network on the 700 MHz band.

In March 2020, CBN’s technical proposal of large-bandwidth 700MHz 2x30MHz was adopted by 3GPP and enlisted in global 5G standards, making it the world’s first global 5G standard for large-bandwidth 5G low-band (Sub-1GHz) spectrum and setting a new benchmark for the utilization of global 5G low-band spectrum resources.

CBN has apparently accelerated the establishment of a 5G trial network pilot project, as well as verified and demonstrated various application services such as media convergence, IoT utilized in cultures field, industrial interconnection, Ubiquitous Power Internet of Things (UPIOT), and more.

Qualcomm Technologies is committed to cooperating with the mobile industry to accelerate the readiness of 5G networks and mobile devices, to help make the rollout of 700 MHz band a commercial reality, and to enable operators to deliver a full offering including voice and data services.

Only three months after the 700 MHz 2x30 MHz FDD technical standards of CBN was completed, Qualcomm Technologies cooperated with CBN to achieve the world’s first large-bandwidth 2x30 MHz 5G call in the 700MHz FDD spectrum band, as well as enabled its partners to launch the first wave of commercial devices supporting the 700 MHz band with a variety of product categories and using scenarios.