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Canadian operator lays claim to North America’s largest C-RAN deployment.
Telus and Huawei this week announced they have successfully tested a 5G heterogeneous network (HetNet) at the Canadian telco’s ‘Living Lab’ in Vancouver.
HetNets are an important component of 5G networks because they promise a seamless connection between multiple cell types, from outdoor macro cells to indoor microcells, helping to achieve the perception – from the end user’s point of view – of unlimited capacity.
The tests were carried out Telus’ 5G Living Lab, which was established in partnership with Huawei last year for the purpose of trying out various next-generation network technologies in a live, real-world setting.
"The advancements we are making at the 5G Living Lab are laying the foundation for our next generation of wireless networks," said Ibrahim Gedeon, CTO of Telus, in a statement on Wednesday.
"These ground-breaking trials will one day enable the likes of driverless cars; smart homes, businesses and cities; new innovations in healthcare; as well as yet-to-be-imagined applications, devices and services powered by dramatically faster and more reliable wireless connections," he said.
In addition, Telus and Huawei announced the successful deployment of a cloud radio access network (C-RAN), also referred to sometimes as a centralised RAN, across several Living Lab sites in Vancouver. Telus claims it is the largest C-RAN deployment in North America.
C-RAN centralises the management of multiple cell sites, enabling the intelligent allocation of capacity, improving throughput at busy times on the network.
"We’re proud to be working with a true global innovator like Telus," said Sean Yang, president of Huawei Canada. "Through our joint efforts in the 5G Living Lab, we are ensuring Vancouver and Canada are at the forefront of deploying the technologies that will bring 5G to life in the years ahead."
