TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan Mobile on Thursday announced it has successfully verified 5G-Advanced uplink transmit (UL Tx) switching technology in Taiwan, boosting 5G upload speeds by 30%.
5G-Advanced, also known as 5.5G, is an enhanced evolution of 5G designed to deliver faster speeds, lower latency, higher reliability, and a broader range of applications, laying the groundwork for future 6G networks. UL Tx switching enables dynamic adaptation between 5G frequency bands, optimizing network capacity and increasing throughput, according to iPhone Taiwan and GSA.
Field tests showed uplink speeds rising from 200 megabits per second (Mbps) to 260 Mbps, a gain that could enhance applications such as generative artificial intelligence, interactive AR/VR, cloud backups, and connected vehicles.
Taiwan Mobile CTO Jih Chao-hwa (揭朝華) noted that while early 5G deployments prioritized download speeds for video streaming and cloud gaming, efficient uplink connections are now increasingly critical. With the rise of AI glasses, connected vehicles, and industrial Internet of Things devices, reliable, high-speed uploads are essential for real-time data transmission and interactive experiences.
The trial demonstrated that UL Tx switching allows the network to shift uplink transmissions from the 3.5 GHz band to the 700 MHz band during downlink operations. This improves spectrum efficiency and enables users to experience upload speeds comparable to downloads.
Taiwan Mobile highlighted that applications like AI glasses require rapid uploads of large datasets to cloud AI models, while connected vehicles continuously transmit location, speed, and sensor data for real-time decision-making. As such, 5G uplink capabilities are becoming a key driver for smart technologies.
The verification used Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 mobile platform and Nokia’s AirScale 5G base station equipment. Taiwan Mobile is the first operator in Taiwan to verify standalone UL Tx switching technology, marking a milestone in the country’s network bandwidth efficiency.
