The next game of cricket you watch at the SCG in Sydney could see you posting your selfie or social update at blistering speeds.
It’s no secret that 5G is fast, and there are two types of 5G making waves.
There’s the one that most 5G devices rely on — sub-6 5G — which can be found in pretty much every 5G phone and tablet released in Australia in the past few years, and then there’s the one that only two phones offer in Australia that’ll be making its way out in more devices in the coming months and years.
For the past few years since 5G turned up in 2019, Australians have been using sub-6 5G, a type of tech that typically maxes out at 2Gbps, but doesn’t usually get close to those speeds unless you happen to be sitting inside the Telstra building with nothing to do.
Over time, telcos have been tweaking the 5G capabilities of their networks, and we’ve seen tests wrench more out, previewing how devices will offer more speed from those networks in more places.
And this week, Vodafone has another of those to talk about, as it pushes 5G speeds on the other technology that’s beginning to pop up: mmWave.
Limited in device numbers, mmWave is technically capable of more speeds, but as of the time this article was published, only found in two phones, the Google Pixel 6 Pro and the Pixel 7 Pro.
There are also only a handful of places mmWave can be found in, making its use a touch limited in Australia.
However, it appears the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) can be added as another, with Vodafone testing its mmWave technology in a packed house at the SCG, and achieving a stream of 2Gbps.
That’s a bit of a new one for the SCG, with Vodafone leverage the high-frequency mmWave technology to help its network hold onto the large speeds while being used by lots of people, something the telco says will be able to work with more than just your phones, but also video services and solutions that could be used in the grounds.
“5G mmWave opens up a world of digital possibilities for consumers and businesses alike,” said Giovanni Chiarelli, Chief Technology Officer at Vodafone.
“With its superfast download and upload speeds, this technology could one day provide new ways for crowds to interact and get closer to the action like never before,” he said.
Vodafone told Pickr that the test was made with a Pixel 6 Pro and could be tested by anyone with an mmWave gadget in the Sydney Cricket Ground using the Vodafone network.
However, as for other places where Vodafone’s mmWave will work, the telco noted it should work in other places in Sydney, and was “working on rolling out more in the future”.
