NTT DoCoMo Inc. is testing an experimental Super 3G system for mobile communications, the aim of which is to achieve a downlink transmission rate of 300 Mbps over a high speed wireless network.
The project has begun with an indoor experiment to test transmission speed using one transmitting and one receiving antenna. The company will then expand the experiment to examine downlink transmission by employing up to four MIMO antennas for both the base station (transmission side) and mobile station (receiving side), with the goal being to achieve a downlink transmission speed of 300 Mbps. Also to be examined is the ‘handover function,’ the switching of the connection between two base stations.
DoCoMo will also examine the functionality of applications for voice and image transmission, games, etc., key capabilities impacting the Super 3G system’s marketability. The company is also aiming to achieve sustainable, efficient use of 3G spectrum resources, is leading the discussion over LTE and believes Super 3G will allow it to make a smooth transition to 4G in the future.