OPPO has announced plans to release the world’s first dual-mode 5G phone before year’s end. The phone was announced at the Qualcomm 5G Summit 2019 in Barcelona, a fitting location as it will be powered by Qualcomm’s chipset.
Dual-mode phones will be compatible with both SA and NSA networks. SA stands for standalone mode, where only 5G is used for data and signaling. NSA, in contrast, stands for non-standalone and uses LTE for some of the process, such as cell tower communication.
In making the announcement, Henry Tang, OPPO’s Chief 5G Scientist said:
“The unrelenting efforts from OPPO and other industry peers have paved the way for the rapid adoption of 5G, with users in select countries and regions already becoming early adopters of OPPO’s 5G smartphones. We hope our next-generation dual-mode 5G offerings will deliver a superior experience to more consumers in more markets globally, making 5G readily available to a wider consumer base worldwide.”
According to Tang, OPPO is working with over a dozen global operators to accelerate 5G commercialization worldwide. The company plans to consistently introduce more 5G products globally.