SoftBank has partnered with Ericsson Japan to begin supporting “Uplink Tx Switching” technology on its network, enabling faster uplink communication for 5G Standalone (SA).
By enhancing carrier aggregation and MIMO, the companies say the technology will deliver faster and more stable uplink performance, addressing growing demand for data-heavy applications.
The feature is scheduled to be introduced gradually on select smartphones released by SoftBank from summer 2026 onward. Initial deployment will be limited to certain 5G SA coverage areas, with expansion planned over time. The technology will operate across supported frequency bands including 3.4 GHz, 3.5 GHz, and 3.7 GHz.
Rising uplink demand in the AI era
The announcement comes as uplink traffic continues to grow, driven by the proliferation of AI (artificial intelligence) applications and the expansion of social media usage. Increasingly, users are uploading high-resolution video, images, and AI-generated content, placing greater demands on network uplink capacity.
SoftBank and Ericsson have been preparing for this shift since 2024, working closely with smartphone chipset vendors to introduce “Uplink Tx Switching.” The companies jointly conducted performance verification from the chipset development stage, ultimately enabling deployment on SoftBank’s commercial network.
Industry data supports the trend. The November 2025 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report highlights AI-enabled devices and AI agents as key drivers of future uplink traffic growth.
SoftBank estimates that the introduction of “Uplink Tx Switching” will increase uplink throughput by approximately 1.5 times under theoretical conditions.
Improved user experience
For end users, the benefits are expected to be faster upload speeds for videos and images, reduced latency in sharing content, and a more stable experience when transmitting large volumes of data. These improvements are particularly relevant as AI-driven applications become more integrated into everyday mobile usage.
As 5G SA networks continue to evolve, technologies such as “Uplink Tx Switching” are likely to play a key role in balancing downlink and uplink performance, ensuring networks can handle the increasingly symmetrical data demands of the AI era.
