In an effort to become the fourth mobile network operator (MNO) in Germany, 1&1 has undertaken the first live test of its 5G network deployment. By the end of this year, 1&1 plans to roll out 5G services for residential clients. By the middle of 2023, mobile 5G is anticipated for smartphone users.
The German operator claimed to have surpassed expectations by achieving speeds of more over 1 Gbps in a live network environment.
Open Ran Technology
In the summer of 2019, the telecom operator paid the telecoms regulator in Germany €1.07 billion to purchase 210 MHz in the 2.1 GHz band and 50 MHz in the 3.6 GHz band during a national 5G auction. Which spectrum was used to get these recent positive 5G test results remains unclear.
Customers of 1&1 are currently actually utilizing the mobile networks of Telefonica (O2) and Vodafone, but after the two companies signed a national roaming agreement in May 2021, 1&1 will be able to provide its clients with nationwide coverage across Germany while its new, fully virtualized mobile network, which will be based on Open RAN technology, is being built. By 2030, 5G service must be available to half of the German population, according 1&1’s deployment commitment.
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