O2 Telefónica stated that the venture will start within the 25 largest German cities in 2025
In sum – what it’s essential to know:
O2 Telefónica begins nationwide 5G streetlight rollout – The German operator and 5G Synergiewerk are deploying 5G-equipped sensible poles within the 25 largest cities beginning this yr.
5G streetlights goal occasions and busy zones – After profitable pilots in Cologne throughout the 2024 European Championship, installations are increasing to occasion hubs like Oktoberfest (Munich), Rheinkirmes (Düsseldorf) and Hamburg Dom.
Streetlights substitute conventional masts – The brand new sensible poles mix LED lighting with small 5G antennas and fiber connections, delivering sooner, extra dependable service the place rooftop house is proscribed and knowledge demand is excessive.
German service O2 Telefónica and infrastructure companion 5G Synergiewerk have began a nationwide rollout of 5G streetlights, with the principle purpose of boosting cellular community protection in busy metropolis facilities and vacationer areas throughout Germany.
In a launch, the telco famous that the modern venture will start within the 25 largest German cities in 2025, with plans to increase even additional sooner or later.
O2 Telefonica stated that these 5G streetlights substitute conventional lamp posts and are available outfitted with small antennas that ship sooner cellular connections. They’re designed to mix in with the cityscape and supply higher community efficiency the place rooftops are restricted and cellular knowledge use is excessive.
“We need to promote sustainable digital connectivity for shoppers and companies in cities,” stated Matthias Sauder, director of networks at O2 Telefónica. “Whether or not streaming, video telephony or the networking of clever sensors, we’re bringing even sooner networks to residents’ doorsteps and into enterprise places.”
The European service highlighted that the primary 5G streetlights are already reside in Cologne, Frankfurt am Primary and Würzburg. The lights proved profitable throughout the 2024 European Soccer Championship in Cologne, serving to followers keep related. Extra installations are deliberate for Frankfurt (Kornmarkt, Nibelungenplatz, Mainzer Landstraße), Cologne (Heumarkt), Hanover (Maschsee) and Stuttgart (Bopser) all through 2025.
5G Synergiewerk is negotiating contracts with metropolis administrations for this goal. By the tip of 2025, 50 extra streetlights are anticipated to be up and operating.
5G Synergiewerk can be specializing in main occasion places, corresponding to Oktoberfest in Munich, the Rheinkirmes truthful in Düsseldorf and the Hamburg Dom truthful, to make sure robust cellular efficiency throughout peak site visitors.
“We assist cities in implementing new sensible metropolis options and a future-proof infrastructure,” stated Ralf Gerbershagen, managing director of 5G Synergiewerk. “By changing typical streetlights with fashionable 5G streetlights, cities have multifunctional instruments that not solely present their residents with nighttime lighting, but in addition a greater cellular community.”
Past cities and occasions, the venture will prolong to vacationer areas just like the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Lake Constance, the place robust cellular service is essential throughout vacation seasons. Native companies are additionally anticipated to learn from the improved connectivity, stated O2 Telefonica.
The brand new sensible poles use energy-efficient LED lights and are related to the 5G community by way of fiber optic cables.
In October 2023, O2 Telefonica introduced the launch of its 5G Standalone (SA) community within the nation beneath the 5G Plus model. Till this launch, the German telco had been providing 5G companies by way of the NonStandalone (NSA) 5G structure partly by way of its LTE/4G core community.
The service had famous that the 5G SA community will allow prospects to have entry to voice-over-new-radio (VoNR) know-how, which permits them to make calls with even higher voice high quality over the 5G community.
O2 Telefónica stated it has already been utilizing the 5G SA know-how in 5G campus networks for corporations and public authorities since 2020. With this new launch, the corporate famous that extra corporations in several sectors corresponding to trade, healthcare and the general public sector could have entry to improved connectivity.
The service’s 5G Plus makes use of frequencies within the 700 MHz, 1.8 GHz and three.6 GHz bands.
The telco stated it expects its 5G SA service to achieve full protection in Germany by the tip of 2025.