KPN, the Netherlands’ largest mobile network operator by subscribers, has announced that it will conduct four separate pre-5G field trials during 2018. The trials will take place in Amsterdam Zuidoost, a farm in Drenthe, the Rotterdam harbour and on motorways near Helmond. In the Amsterdam Zuidoost area KPN will work with the municipality of Amsterdam, the Amsterdam ArenA and equipment vendor Nokia to test 5G applications. Massive MIMO technology will be used to give extra capacity in busy locations.
In Drenthe KPN will test 5G applications in agriculture at a farm in Valthermond, including drones connected to the mobile network. The firm also stated that it will test mobile communication based on millimetre waves in Drenthe, with the potential to reach speeds above 1Gbps. In the port of Rotterdam KPN will collaborate with Chinese vendor Huawei and will investigate ‘network slicing’. This concept means that specific services in a virtual mobile network will be protected from other mobile traffic and will lead to a more reliable quality of service. Lastly, KPN will try 5G for automotive purposes. On the A270 near Helmond and the A58 between Eindhoven and Tilburg the company will test technologies on 5G mobile networks enabling cars to communicate real-time with other cars and for use with traffic lights and matrix signs.