A1 Bulgaria expanded its 4G network and said it has reached 99 percent population coverage. Its 4.5G network covers 90 percent of the country's population or all settlements with more than 3,000 inhabitants. Over 2019, 4.5G coverage has been provided to over 1.7 million potential new users, and the maximum download speed can reach 640 Mbps.
The company said the expansion was needed to meet growing demand for data services. It saw a 64 percent increase in 4G data traffic over the Christmas holidays (24-26 December) compared to the same period last year. For comparison, this Christmas saw an increase in voice traffic of only 0.3 percent compared to calls made in 2018.
Since launching the 4G network, the telecom operator invested about BGN 200 million in its development. A1's 4G network covers all settlements with more than 1,000 inhabitants in Bulgaria at maximum download speeds up to 390 Mbps. In 2019, A1 upgraded nearly 1,900 base stations with 4G technology, making the network accessible to 99 percent of the country's population.
A1 improved its 4G coverage on all major and minor roads of the Republican road network, paying particular attention to the Thrakia highway. The network already covers all mountain, winter and summer resorts, as well as major spa destinations where dozens of new base stations were installed. In some resort destinations such as Sunny Beach an additional capacity layer was built to absorb peak traffic during the summer season. Similar measures have been taken for the winter resorts of Bansko and Pamporovo, where the A1 mobile network provides optimal conditions for clients both in the settlements and on the ski slopes.
Source: https://www.telecompaper.com/news/a1-bulgarias-4g-network-reaches-99-population-coverage--1321278