As Australian carriers search for 5G technology partners following the banning of Huawei, Samsung has rolled out a new 5G network in Christchurch with New Zealand telco Spark.
The project using Samsung’s Massive MIMO radio is the Korean tech giant’s first network installation across the ditch, and represents NZ’s first new network vendor in more than 10 years.
It allows central Christchurch residents to access 5G speeds both on their phones and at home via wireless broadband, and gives Spark a major boost in throughput and efficiency.
Massive MIMO radio uses advanced 3D beamforming technology to improve capacity and extend network coverage, said MinSu Chu, Managing Director and Head of Samsung Electronics New Zealand.
“This project in Christchurch marks another milestone in Samsung’s 5G journey. We have built a strong following in New Zealand through our mobile devices, so we are pleased to be able to take the next step in advancing reliable, secure 5G network and offer an end-to-end solution,” he said.
Samsung’s Chinese rival Huawei has been banned from providing 5G network equipment across most of the “Five Eyes” intelligence partners, including Australia, New Zealand, the US, and UK; only Canada has yet to implement a Huawei 5G ban.
