Samsung and NEC join forces on 5G

5G under a digital web
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Samsung and NEC have joined forces to provide 5G services to the masses. The two firms have actually tied up on a number of initiatives, but 5G is the one both companies want to talk about right now, it would seem.

"5G will unlock the potentials, create new values and push the limits of today's technology," said Youngky Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. "We are excited to announce our joint efforts with NEC to boost 5G end-to-end solution portfolio for the best user experience."

Both companies have made it clear they want to make sure any work they do in the 5G space focuses on standardisation of the technology to prevent any fragmentation in the 5G industry. By making sure that any joint solutions are in-line with the rest on the industry, it will enable business transformation to flourish.

Although neither company has revealed exactly what each will bring to the partnership, the deal is thought to be an effort to ensure both companies remain at the forefront of the 5G market.

Both are driving 5G pretty hard, with Samsung recently announcing it had teamed up with Qualcomm for the hardware behind its test networks. NEC has also made similar moves, partnering with Japanese network NTT DoCoMo to provide the base station controls and software updates for its network, expected to launch in 2020.

"5G development based on standardization will help to accelerate business transformation throughout global markets," said Atsuo Kawamura, Executive Vice President and President of the Network Services Business Unit at NEC. "As 5G commercialization is just around the corner, we are confident that the partnership with Samsung will continue to solidify our stance as a 5G leader."

Samsung announced earlier this month that it will base its 5G network upon Qualcomm's FSM100xx 10nm small cell tech that's effective on both sub-6GHz and millimetre-wave (mmWave) spectrum bands.

Clare Hopping
Freelance writer

Clare is the founder of Blue Cactus Digital, a digital marketing company that helps ethical and sustainability-focused businesses grow their customer base.

Prior to becoming a marketer, Clare was a journalist, working at a range of mobile device-focused outlets including Know Your Mobile before moving into freelance life.

As a freelance writer, she drew on her expertise in mobility to write features and guides for ITPro, as well as regularly writing news stories on a wide range of topics.