Samsung reportedly developing mmWave 5G small cells for Verizon

Samsung has been expanding its 5G network equipment business after Huawei was excluded by various countries from participating in the deployment of 5G networks. The South Korean firm has already deployed 5G networks for carriers in Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the US, and other countries. Now, it is being reported that Samsung is developing 5G small cell devices for Verizon.

The company’s 5G small cells use Qualcomm’s chipsets. Verizon’s 5G small cell base stations can be installed by customers at their homes or offices for a faster and more reliable 5G network and increased coverage. The small cells are based on the 28GHz mmWave 5G technology.

Previously, Samsung made 4G LTE-based small cells for the US-based carrier since 2016, and they featured Intel’s LTE chipsets. The company’s 4G small cell is available from Verizon’s website for $249.99, and it is about the size of a tablet PC and weighs around 500g. Those who install such small cells in their homes don’t need to run any cables other than the ethernet cable.

Since the South Korean firm didn’t have any incentive to use its own chipset in 5G small cells that are made for Verizon, the company reportedly decided to use Qualcomm’s chips. Samsung and Qualcomm have been collaborating on the product since 2018. Verizon has received criticism for its mmWave-based 5G network’s performance and low coverage in the US.