Fastweb, Qualcomm Announce Collaboration to Commercialize 5G Standalone mmWave Services in Italy

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Fastweb, one of the major Italian telecommunications operators, and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. announced plans to commercialize 5G standalone (SA) millimeter wave (mmWave) on Qualcomm 5G Fixed Wireless Access Platform Gen 2 featuring Snapdragon X65 and X62 5G Modem-RF Systems for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA). The joint efforts, which are expected to be rolled out in 2022, are intended to enable Fastweb to rapidly scale the reach of its FWA deployments, helping to bring the full potential of 5G to around twelve million homes and businesses in Italy, by the end of 2025.

By combining 5G standalone mode with mmWave using the Snapdragon X65 and X62 5G Modem-RF Systems, Fastweb can deliver ultra-high throughput, up to 1 Gigabit per second, and ultra-low latency broadband access to residential and commercial customers. Users will enjoy fiber-like experiences for video editing, gaming, and streaming, to name a few. As one of the fastest-growing last-mile broadband technologies, Fixed Wireless Access accelerates the reduction of the digital divide in Italy.

5G standalone provides advanced system benefits – including reduced latency in the core network, support for 5G network virtualization, and network slicing – and enables Fastweb to deploy and manage services in a much more flexible and modular way. 5G mmWave, which unlocks frequency bands above 24 GHz, enables 5G FWA to realize its full potential. One year from the launch of the national coverage plan, the 5G FWA network of Fastweb is reaching today more than 400 cities all over Italy.

Qualcomm Technologies is uniquely positioned to provide Fastweb users with the full potential and speed of 5G as it is the first to support all 5G modes. Snapdragon builds on our decades of mobile innovation to deliver premium experiences customers deserve. The Snapdragon X65 and X62 5G Modem-RF Systems are from our 4th generation 5G modem-RF family and designed with an upgradeable architecture to enable rapid rollout of new Release 16 features across mobile broadband, fixed wireless access, industrial IoT and 5G private networks via software upgrades.

“We are very pleased with our continuing collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies,” said Marco Arioli, technology officer, Fastweb. “These ambitious new plans demonstrate our ongoing commitment to support the digital transformation being brought to Italian families and businesses, providing enhanced connectivity and digital services.”

“Today marks another exciting milestone for the 5G ecosystem across Europe as Fastweb continues to invest in the potential of mmWave for Italy,” said Enrico Salvatori, senior vice president, Qualcomm Europe, Inc. and president, Qualcomm Europe/MEA. “Qualcomm Technologies and industry leaders are at the heart of the 5G deployments being rolled out across Europe, and this announcement shows how ambitious operators in Europe are embracing the possibilities of this new class of mmWave spectrum. This new standard of connectivity will enable businesses to create new user experiences that will benefit and enrich our lives.”