Samsung and Qualcomm have paired to validate 5G Power Class 1 (PC1) for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) over a virtualized ran (vRAN) set-up.

In doing so, the two companies have claimed an industry first.

Power Class 1 is a 3GPP standard that defines how strongly a device can transmit its signal, with a lower-class number indicating a higher output power. The higher the power, the better the signal quality, and the further the network is able to reach.

PC1 is tipped to be a key factor in pushing the FWA user experience by offering fiber-like uplink speeds and reducing bottlenecks. Samsung highlights its importance as demand for uplink surges due to the rise of data- and time-intensive services like physical AI, autonomous systems, and AR/VR.

The test was carried out at Samsung's R&D lab, utilizing the vendor's vRAN stack, 3.7GHz Massive MIMO radios, and Qualcomm Technologies’ X85 chipset-equipped test device.

According to Samsung, the test found that PC1 was able to deliver up to 10 times higher uplink throughput at the cell-Edge compared to the PC1.5 standard.

The test was also able to extend coverage by up to 40 percent more with PC1.

“As networks continue to evolve and support more AI-driven services, high-performance wireless infrastructure becomes more essential,” said Eun Yong Kim, vice president and head of air technology, networks business at Samsung Electronics.

“This validation highlights Samsung’s readiness to bring advanced technologies to market with partners like Qualcomm Technologies, empowering operators to deliver faster, more efficient networks that are ready to handle everything from seamless industrial data transmission to increasingly data-heavy user experiences.”

“With its higher transmission power, PC1 technology expands both the performance and reach of FWA devices,” added Gautam Sheoran, SVP & general manager, connectivity, broadband, and networking at Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

Samsung also confirmed that it has also conducted field tests on a US Tier 1 operator's network, but didn't name the carrier. The vendor added that it expects this feature to be commercially available next year.