Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. have agreed to work together to develop 5G small cells that will pave way for the massive 5G network speed, capacity, coverage, and ultra-low latency. To effectively scale 5G New Radio (NR) networks, the industry is expected to increasingly rely on small cells as foundational building blocks.

Given the propagation characteristics of higher frequencies in sub-6 and millimeter-wave (mmWave) bands that will be used in 5G NR networks, small cell solutions are designed to support delivery of uniform 5G experiences, especially indoors where most data is consumed.

In order to address cost and form factor requirements for a wide range of 5G NR deployment scenarios, service providers, enterprises, factories and other stakeholders are expected to growingly depend on 5G NR small cell solutions, and on the suppliers able to deliver them. Mobile operators across the world including United States, Japan and Korea are all expected to deploy small cells as a catalyst to support 5G-class experiences.

5G networks are expected to employ small cells to provide multi-gigabit throughputs and millisecond-level latencies to enhance the wireless experience, and support a variety of new and emerging applications, such as augmented and virtual reality. In addition, 5G networks have the potential to create new opportunities, such as industrial automation with automated guided vehicles (AGV), which rely on secure and high-speed wireless links. Harnessing 5G spectrum also provides the opportunity for multi-gigabit wireless speeds, making it ideal for fixed wireless access (FWA) applications, delivering "last-mile" broadband connectivity for homes, apartments and other venues in regions that are difficult to serve with traditional fiber or copper infrastructure.

Qualcomm FSM 100xx 10nm 5G solution is capable of enabling the Samsung 5G Small Cell solution to utilize both the sub-6GHz and mmWave spectrum, helping provide a next-generation wireless experience, and further establishing Qualcomm Technologies as a leader in the industry transition towards 5G. Announced in May 2018, the FSM100xx is expected to deliver superior 5G features, including MIMO baseband functionality in a compact package that is presently unrivaled in the industry. The FSM100xx-based Samsung 5G Small Cell solution is expected to begin sampling in 2020.