SK Telecom on Monday announced it successfully tested the highest level of Long Term Evolution network technologies in collaboration with Samsung Electronics and Ericsson.

Named “LTE-A Pro,” SKT demonstrated three technologies -- LTE-Advanced five-band carrier aggregation, tri-band carrier aggregation applied with 4x4 multiple input multiple output and Licensed Assisted Access -- at the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. 

With Samsung, the company tested the LTE-A five-band CA on its commercial network, which is a technology that combines five frequency spectrums as one to provide a higher data transfer speed.

SKT and Samsung also showcased a tri-band CA technology combined with the 4x4 MIMO technology, which enables users to download a HD-class movie in 15 seconds at a maximum speed of 900Mbps.

SKT has been providing 500Mbps LTE-A Pro service since early 2016. The company has nearly doubled the speed as it acquired an additional spectrum in the 2.6GHz band last May, securing the basis for the five-band CA.

“Through the demonstration of LTE-A Pro with SK Telecom, we have proven that it is not long before we realize the commercialization of 1Gbps mobile communication, a dream speed in LTE,” said Park Dong-soo, executive vice president of the network business at Samsung Electronics. “We will lead the advancement of mobile technologies toward the very last stage of LTE evolution and secure a bridgehead into the 5G era.”

SKT also announced that it demonstrated the LAA, the technology that uses unlicensed spectrum together with a licensed spectrum for 4G LTE radio communications with Sweden-based Ericsson.

The two companies achieved a peak data rate of 1Gbps by aggregating a 20MHz LTE spectrum with a 60MHz spectrum for WiFi and then combing it with the 4x4 MIMO technology.

“It is the most advanced LTE technology, which will lead to ultra high definition video and virtual reality content ahead of the upcoming 5G era,” said Park Jin-hyo, head of network technology R&D center at SK Telecom.

Meanwhile, the mobile carrier signed a contract with Finland’s Nokia to work together on the quantum cryptography communications business with a plan to co-develop a quantum transmission system. The business is expected to help enhance security of smart devices when the Internet of Things technology starts to be applied more widely.

SKT is currently developing quantum random number generators, ultra-small non-memory semiconductors, with a goal of commercialization within the year.

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)