U.S. Cellular and Ericsson showcase enhanced bandwidth and ultra-fast speeds of 5G networks

Trials achieved peak speeds of 9Gbps overall and 1.5Gbps at a distance of one mile

The two companies will continue to work together to develop 5G technical plans and business requirements

U.S. Cellular (NYSE:USM) and Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) have successfully completed joint testing of 5G in Madison, Wisconsin, achieving peak throughput of 9Gbps to bring this next-generation network technology one step closer to deployment in North America. Building on a track record of innovation in 5G technology, this trial showcased Ericsson’s strength in 5G and serves as an opportunity for further planning to bring 5G services to market.

Ericsson installed 5G radios on a tower currently in commercial service by U.S. Cellular. Using 15 GHz spectrum through an experimental license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and run under varying environmental conditions to simulate real world use, the tests evaluated a number of new radio access (NX) carrier combinations to verify their benefits to network throughput and performance. The trials achieved peak throughput of 1.5Gbps at a distance of one mile and 9Gbps at a distance of 787 ft.

Also tested were radio resource sharing, beamforming, beam tracking, peak throughput and multi-user MIMO, among other measures of radio performance.

Michael S. Irizarry, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, U.S. Cellular, says: “This latest trial with Ericsson demonstrates incredible 9Gbps speeds in an environment that was close to a real world scenario, and we look forward to collaborating with Ericsson on the development of standards for a healthy 5G ecosystem. We are committed to giving our customers the best experience with the latest technology that can enhance their lives or businesses, and a fast, high-quality network that works whenever and wherever they need it.”

Rima Qureshi, Head of Region North America, Ericsson, says: “Today marks another important step in our collaboration with U.S. Cellular to bring 5G technology to market in North America. With high speeds and ultra-low latency, 5G promises to significantly enhance end user experience and open new business potential for enterprises and our society. We are pleased to work with U.S. Cellular in their efforts to bring the most advanced networks to the customers and businesses they serve, and these tests prove our capabilities in making 5G a near-future reality.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

About U.S. Cellular

U.S. Cellular is the fifth-largest full-service wireless carrier in the United States, providing national network coverage and industry-leading innovations designed to elevate the customer experience. The Chicago-based carrier offers coverage where the other carriers don't and a wide range of communication services that enhance consumers' lives, increase the competitiveness of local businesses and improve the efficiency of government operations. U.S. Cellular has the Highest Wireless Network Quality Performance in the North Central Region, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Wireless Network Quality Performance Study, and 99 percent of customers have access to 4G LTE speeds. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. To get the latest news, promos and videos, connect with U.S. Cellular on Facebook.com/uscellular, Twitter.com/uscellular and YouTube.com/uscellularcorp.

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Ericsson is the driving force behind the Networked Society – a world leader in communications technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable future.

Our services, software and infrastructure – especially in mobility, broadband and the cloud – are enabling the telecom industry and other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve the user experience and capture new opportunities.

With approximately 115,000 professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion subscribers. Forty percent of the world’s mobile traffic is carried over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and development ensure that our solutions – and our customers – stay in front.

Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2015 were SEK 246.9 billion (USD 29.4 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.

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