Telecom Italia (TIM) has teamed up with Qualcomm Technologies and Ericsson to make what it describes as the first live video call in Europe using 5G millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum. The partners used a smartphone equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G chipset on Ericsson equipment to make the call during the inauguration of the TIM’s new 5G Innovation Hub in Rome. The operator said the pilot represented a new milestone on a path that will lead to the widespread commercial use of 5G mmWave technology throughout the European continent.
TIM added that its newly-inaugurated innovation hub in the capital intends to attract the entire local ecosystem of companies, startups, R&D centres and other players interested in developing and testing services based on 5G technology. The space will be hosted by the TIM WCAP Rome hub, with the operator and its partners pledging to make available their technical know-how and 5G test facilities to promote open collaboration among international and local companies.
The operator is already carrying out numerous 5G trials in many other cities all over Italy including Turin, Bari, Matera and the Republic of San Marino and last month shelled out nearly EUR 1.7 billion to acquire 5G-ready spectrum in the 694-790MHz, 26.5-27.5GHz and 3.6-3.8GHz bands.
