Optus and Nokia Enhance 900MHz 5G Performance with Asymmetric Downlink Trial

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Optus and Nokia demonstrated a 91% outdoor and 51% indoor 5G data rate increase using a 25MHz asymmetric downlink on 900MHz spectrum, boosting performance in urban and rural areas in Australia.

Australian telecommunications operator Optus and Nokia have conducted a pioneering live network trial to enhance 5G service performance on low-band 900MHz spectrum. Utilizing an asymmetric downlink approach with a 25MHz downlink channel and a 20MHz uplink channel, the trial achieved significant improvements in data rates. According to Optus, outdoor data rates improved by 91% and indoor rates by 51% compared to its existing network setup on the same spectrum.

This enhancement was made possible because the test smartphone—an Oppo Find X10 Pro Max powered by a recent MediaTek chipset—was able to utilize the full 25MHz downlink bandwidth. Optus’ Chief Technology Officer Sri Amirthalingam remarked that such innovations exemplify effective network engineering by maximizing finite spectrum resources. He further explained that Australia poses connectivity challenges due to its unique geography, with densely populated urban centers alongside vast distances between rural communities.

Henrique Vale, Nokia’s Vice President of Mobile Infrastructure for Asia Pacific, emphasized that extracting more value from existing spectrum is as vital to 5G evolution as acquiring new frequency bands. He highlighted the necessity of smarter techniques to unlock operators’ current spectrum potential.

Optus noted that low-band spectrum accounts for approximately 15% of urban and 35% of rural connections on its network, underscoring the importance of improving 900MHz performance. The companies describe this live live asymmetric downlink trial as a "technical world-first," showcasing new possibilities for boosting 5G coverage and speeds in both buildings and remote areas.

This development reflects ongoing efforts in the telecom industry to overcome spectrum scarcity and extend the reach and quality of 5G networks, particularly in regions where deploying higher-frequency bands is impractical. By enhancing the efficiency of low-band frequencies, Optus and Nokia aim to deliver better user experiences across Australia's diverse connectivity landscape.