German telecommunications leader Deutsche Telekom has activated the first commercially operational 5G antennas in Europe at two central locations in Berlin.
The deployed 5G New Radio (5G NR) antennas fully implement the new standard, are running under real-world conditions, and form the basis for a broader nationwide rollout. So far, six cells have been launched — three along Leipziger Straße and three on Winterfeldtstraße.
Claudia Nemat, Deutsche Telekom Board member for Technology and Innovation, said:
“We’re continuing our thorough preparations for the 2020 rollout of 5G. Today, right in the heart of Berlin, we are taking the next decisive step with the successful integration of commercial 5G technology into our network.
We want to ensure that 5G delivers on its promises of greater mobility, higher speeds, and lower latency.”
Deutsche Telekom’s initial 5G cluster covers roughly a five-kilometre area. The operator plans to expand this cluster significantly by summer, adding around 70 more cells across more than 20 sites.
Walter Goldenits, Chief Technology Officer at Telekom Deutschland, added:
“5G New Radio in Berlin represents another important milestone on the path to 5G for everyone. This Berlin cluster will act as the foundation for our future commercial 5G rollout in Germany.
The antennas are producing valuable test results while simultaneously operating as live components of the future 5G network. We are preparing the infrastructure so the network will be ready when the first 5G-capable smartphones reach the market.”
Most smartphone manufacturers expected to release 5G devices in 2019, and some vendors indicated the possibility of devices appearing as early as late that year.
Deutsche Telekom is deploying 5G equipment supplied by Huawei. For testing purposes the antennas currently operate in the 3.7 GHz frequency band under a temporary license. The 3 GHz range is one of the spectrum bands targeted for initial 5G deployments due to its balance of coverage and capacity.
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