PC1: A Power Boost for 5G Fixed Wireless Access
Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm Technologies have reached a key milestone for 5G fixed wireless access by validating Power Class 1 (PC1) capability on a virtualized RAN (vRAN). In mobile standards, “power class” defines how strongly a device can transmit; the lower the class number, the higher the output power. PC1 therefore represents a significant step up over PC1.5, especially at the edge of a cell where signals are weakest. In Samsung’s R&D lab, using 3.7 GHz Massive MIMO radios and a test device based on Qualcomm’s X85 Modem-RF chipset and Dragonwing FWA Gen 4 platform, the companies applied PC1 technology and measured up to 10 times higher uplink throughput at cell edge compared to PC1.5. This technical uplift directly targets one of 5G FWA’s biggest constraints: getting data reliably from homes back to the network in challenging coverage spots.
How Virtualized RAN Helped Validate the Uplink Breakthrough
The validation took place on Samsung’s fully software-driven virtualized RAN, an architecture where baseband functions run on general-purpose hardware rather than dedicated appliances. This setup allowed Samsung engineers to quickly integrate and test PC1 support while pairing their 3.7 GHz Massive MIMO radios with Qualcomm’s X85-based FWA test device. Virtualization made it easier to fine-tune scheduling, power control and beamforming algorithms to exploit the higher transmit power defined by PC1. By proving the concept in a lab environment, Samsung and Qualcomm showed operators that uplink performance improvement does not require a complete network overhaul; instead, it can be introduced through software upgrades and new customer-premises equipment. The result is a more flexible, software-defined 5G fixed wireless access platform that can evolve rapidly as standards and device capabilities advance.
What 10x Better Uplink Means for Home Users
Home users experience uplink limitations most acutely during interactive and upload-heavy tasks, such as video calls, cloud backups and live streaming. The reported 10x uplink throughput gain at cell edge with PC1 compared to PC1.5 is especially important for homes on the fringe of coverage or behind walls and obstacles. Higher transmit power helps maintain stronger, more stable connections, cutting the likelihood of frozen video frames, audio dropouts and long upload times. For everyday users of 5G fixed wireless access, this can translate into smoother work conference calls, more reliable online classes and faster sharing of large files or videos. It also helps ensure that multiple family members can simultaneously upload and stream without one user’s activity degrading everyone else’s experience, making 5G FWA feel more like a robust wired home broadband alternative.
Raising the Bar for Video Calls, Streaming and Cloud Apps
Modern digital habits are increasingly uplink-heavy: high-resolution video calls, user-generated content, cloud storage and real-time collaboration all demand consistent upstream capacity. PC1 technology directly addresses this by enhancing the uplink side of 5G fixed wireless access, which has historically lagged behind downlink improvements. With stronger transmit power and better coverage at the cell edge, users in apartments, dense urban neighborhoods or remote homes can enjoy clearer, higher-resolution video calls and more responsive cloud applications. For example, AI-powered services that continuously sync data to the cloud, or industrial sensors transmitting telemetry from the home or small office, benefit from reduced latency and fewer retransmissions. As networks adopt PC1-capable hardware and software, operators can offer fixed wireless packages that support not just streaming consumption but also intensive content creation and remote work, broadening the appeal of FWA beyond basic internet access.
5G FWA’s Path as a True Home Broadband Alternative
The PC1 validation underscores how 5G fixed wireless access is evolving into a credible home broadband alternative rather than a niche stopgap. By boosting uplink performance and extending reach into low-signal areas, PC1 expands the addressable market for operators, covering both congested city neighborhoods and remote homes where wired build-outs are challenging. Samsung emphasizes that as networks support more AI-driven and data-heavy services, high-performance wireless infrastructure becomes essential. Qualcomm, meanwhile, highlights that PC1 expands both performance and coverage for FWA devices, reinforcing the technology’s role in everyday connectivity. Together, these advances suggest a future where many households can rely on FWA for primary connectivity without sacrificing quality, particularly for interactive and upload-centric workloads. Continued ecosystem innovation around vRAN, Massive MIMO and power-class enhancements will be central to keeping FWA competitive with traditional fixed broadband offerings.