Japanese carrier NTT Docomo announced that it will launch a super-fast 5G SA service starting on August 1. The so-called New Radio-Dual Connectivity service (NR-DC) will be deployed on three frequency bands: two in the sub-6GHz range (3.7GHz and 4.5GHz) and one mmWave band (28GHz).
With two 5G base stations transmitting and receiving simultaneously, devices will be able to achieve download speeds of up to 6.6Gbps. You will need the right device for this to work and currently there are only three on the supported list.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI is your only choice if you want to test out the new NR-DC service on day one, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold6 will also gain support, though that will happen in November at the earliest. You will also need the right subscription and SIM card, a software update for the phones might be required too.
| Model | Max. Download (5G SA) | Available from |
|---|---|---|
| Xperia 1 VI SO-51E | 6.6Gbps | Aug. 1, 2024 |
| Galaxy S24 Ultra SC-52E | 6.6Gbps | In/after Nov. 2024 |
| Galaxy Z Fold6 SC-55E | 6.6Gbps | In/after Nov. 2024 |
The 6.6Gbps service will initially be rolled out in parts of Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture. Once available, it will be the 5G service available in Japan. Right now, Docomo is offering download speeds of up to 4.9Gbps, which it introduced in August 2022.
Docomo has plans to gradually expand NR-DC to new regions and will be offering more mmWave-compatible devices. mmWave is required since the 6.6Gbps speed is achieved by combining one sub-6GHz and one mmWave link.
Anyway, this won’t necessarily be the fastest 5G service in the world, we will have to wait for tests. For example, several Chinese makers in association with China Mobile have been advertising 5.5G support with up to 10Gbps downlink speeds. In a real-world test, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra achieved 5,132Mbps. That’s better than the vivo X100 that reached 3,619Mbps in another test. Hopefully, we will see how the Xperia 1 VI performs once the new service goes live.
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