5G-Crosshaul Partners Announce Successful Result of 5G Integrated Fronthaul-Backhaul Extended Outdoor Trial

BERLIN, Germany, Nov. 09, 2016 -- InterDigital (NASDAQ:IDCC), Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, and Core Network Dynamics (CND), three partners from the H2020 5GPPP 5G-Crosshaul consortium, today announced the successful result of an extended, real-world deployment of an integrated fronthaul/backhaul network delivering 5G throughput and latency. The test, a first of its kind, sets the stage for cost-effective, highly flexible 5G network architecture.

The results of the integrated millimeter wave (mmW) fronthaul/backhaul 5G Berlin Testbed were announced at the November 2^nd IEEE 5G Berlin Summit and will be further presented at the 5G-PPP Global 5G event, taking place today and tomorrow in Rome. The 5G-Crosshaul test was carried out over more than a month at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute in Berlin, and delivered higher than 1.2 Gbps throughput and less than millisecond latency. Beyond the speed, the test’s integrated fronthaul/backhaul provides a working model for future 5G networks that will combine 4G architecture with a 5G fronthaul-based network edge. With this deployment, 5G radio network solutions can be implemented using commodity servers or even in the cloud – a major innovation that throws open the doors for new operator models.

The 5G Berlin Testbed is a 5G field trial of InterDigital’s EdgeLink™ 60GHz solution, multiplexing both backhaul and CND’s Cloud-RAN next generation fronthaul solution over an integrated mmW mesh transport network. The system is installed outdoors, executing under environmental conditions from the end of September through November. The trial has included both natural and induced link failure events, to test network resiliency.

“Millimeter wave technology will be a decisive cornerstone to bring 5G forward to enhanced mobile broadband harvesting new spectrum opportunities well above 6GHz, ultra-dense deployments and energy-efficient multi-Gigabit transmission,” explains Dr. Thomas Haustein, Head of Department for Wireless Communication and Networks at Fraunhofer HHI.

“The 5G Berlin Testbed will provide valuable information that can be used to help advance the evolving 5G standards and specifications. We are already adapting OpenEPC to support critical 5G requirements. These include a distributed core network, plus architectures to support C-RAN and the cloudification of the radio access network,” said Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO, Core Network Dynamics.

“Many companies have demonstrated systems that they qualify as ‘5G’ because of speed or latency characteristics, but this extended outdoor trial is the first example of a network edge architecture, tested in real-world conditions, that will be a key in eventual 5G deployment,” said, Alan Carlton, Vice President, InterDigital Europe. “Crosshaul’s major innovation may set the stage for a world where our definitions of what constitutes a network operator or infrastructure equipment are radically changed.”

5G-Crosshaul is an international project with 21 members aimed at developing integrated fronthaul and backhaul system solutions to support flexibility and unified management for 5G network architectures. To learn more about the project, visit http://5g-crosshaul.eu/.

About InterDigital^®

InterDigital develops mobile technologies that are at the core of devices, networks, and services worldwide. We solve many of the industry's most critical and complex technical challenges, inventing solutions for more efficient broadband networks and a richer multimedia experience years ahead of market deployment. InterDigital has licenses and strategic relationships with many of the world's leading wireless companies. Founded in 1972, InterDigital is listed on NASDAQ and is included in the S&P MidCap 400^® index.

InterDigital is a registered trademark of InterDigital, Inc. EdgeLink is a trademark of InterDigital, Inc.

For more information, visit: www.interdigital.com.

About Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute

Innovations for the digital society of the future are the focus of research and development work at the Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI. In this area, Fraunhofer HHI is a world leader in the development for mobile and optical communication networks and systems as well as processing and coding of video signals. Together with international partners from research and industry, Fraunhofer HHI works in the whole spectrum of digital infrastructure – from fundamental research to the development of prototypes and solutions. www.hhi.fraunhofer.de

About Core Network Dynamics
Headquartered in Berlin, Core Network Dynamics develops and markets OpenEPC, a complete mobile network infrastructure in software. Target markets include: carriers designing next-generation mobile networks using SDN/NFV; first responder/public safety organizations requiring a secure private LTE network compatible with off-the-shelf Smartphones; companies operating in remote areas where mobile coverage is patchy or non-existent; and operators evaluating advanced Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) concepts to implement distributed mobile networks for IoT applications. www.corenetdynamics.com

InterDigital Contact:
Patrick Van de Wille
Email: [email protected] 
+1 (858) 210-4814

Fraunhofer HHI Contact:
Anne Rommel
Email: [email protected] 
+ 40 30 31002 353

Core Network Dynamics Contact:
Email: [email protected]
+44 7766 447897