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AT&T launches 5G network test at Intel office in Texas

AT&T has secured its first business customer to test 5G, which is capable of 4K video-streaming speeds at 14Gbps.
Written by Jake Smith, Contributor

AT&T on Monday announced the first business customer trial of a 5G network experience at an Intel office in Austin, TX.

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AT&T begins testing 5G for the first time.

AT&T paired with Ericsson to conduct the public test of 5G, using millimeter wave (mmWave) technology to bring speeds of 14Gbps for 4K video.

The test will include typical business-use cases, including internet access, VPNs, unified communications, and 4K video streams in the 15GHz and 28GHz spectrum bands.

"This trial is a significant step forward. We're leaving the lab and heading into the field with a real-world business customer," said Rick Hubbard, senior VP of networking product management at AT&T. "We expect mmWave technology to be an important part of 5G. The trial will help accelerate our 5G work by shedding new light on how the technology acts in a business environment."

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The driving force behind the need for a 5G network comes from the world's shift to viewing video on mobile devices. "Mobile video streaming continues to be a vital aspect of our 5G work, and this trial gives us an opportunity to test 4K HD video streaming across further physical distances between pieces of equipment," said Tom Keathley, senior VP of wireless network architecture and design at AT&T.

An international 5G standard hasn't been established. AT&T previously tested 5G in the lab in Texas, Georgia, New Jersey, and California.

AT&T's focus on video was shown with its pending acquisition of the content arm of Time Warner and the launch of DirecTV Now.

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