Qualcomm and Nokia completed OTA data calls in both mmWave and sub-6GHz spectrum bands as part of ongoing interoperability testing ahead of commercial deployments of 5G technology.

The 3GPP standards-based trial was conducted at Nokia’s lab in Oulu, Finland using Nokia radio equipment and a smartphone form factor test device running Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X50 modem and antenna modules. The pair conducted similar testing in February.

Durga Malladi, Qualcomm’s SVP and GM of 4G and 5G, said in a statement the latest trial represents another “significant step in making 5G a commercial reality in early 2019” and will “help enable 5G network deployments across various operators and regions around the world”.

Those include operators in the US, South Korea, Europe, Australia, Japan and China, Qualcomm said.

The news came just after operators in South Korea switched on their 5G networks and as US operators AT&T and Verizon announced plans to release Samsung 5G smartphones based on Qualcomm’s X50 modem.

AT&T and Verizon previously named Nokia as one of their respective 5G network equipment suppliers.