Vodafone say it completed its LTE and 5G expansion in the German Alpine region in only nine months, notably faster than anticipated. First announced in July 2022, the expansion included 121 construction projects in eight districts, including 78 new 5G stations at existing sites in the Alps, and has eliminated 22 4G dead spots, claimed Vodafone.
Prior to the expansion, Vodafone already had 400 cell sites in the German Alps, most of which offered 4G, some of which still only had the previous generation of cellular technology; now, though, the carrier has a total of 416, covering over 99.7% of the populated areas in several districts. Eight of these sites were upgraded to LTE for the first time since July, while an additional 35 received more LTE antennas to improve capacity.
In July, Vodafone stated that its “medium-term goal” was to “connect as many people as possible to the 5G network” and that to do so, it will “gradually equip the approximately 400 existing mobile phone stations with 5G – wherever this is possible.”
These cell sites provide residents and visitors with connectivity, of course, but also support emergency services, which are critical for the region as it’s a popular skiing destination. On the carrier’s website, it says that 5G will make possible advanced safety services like video diagnosis, which allows first responders to connect directly to EMS teams for patient support, and enables the use of drones and robots for rescue missions.
Additionally, 5G will improve maintenance for rescue aircrafts. Vodafone partnered with Lufthansa Technik to test VR and AR technologies for interior work on these aircrafts, which the company said increases maintenance accuracy and efficiency without increasing the cost.
Looking ahead, Vodafone shared its ambitions of building 15 more “mobile data highways” in several other areas including Tittmoning, Marktschellenberg and Pforzen.