Page 84 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Telia Launches Commercial 5G in Sweden

Telia Company recently inaugurated its
commercial 5G network in Sweden, with
service initially available in Stockholm
powered by Ericsson Radio Access
Network (RAN) products and solutions.
Initial services on the 700 MHz band will
cover most of central Stockholm by mid-
June, including the Norrmalm, Östermalm
and Vasastan districts. Telia aims to
enhance and supplement its low-band
5G commercial services with additional
nationwide 5G coverage, including mid-
and high-bands, following the auction
of the related spectrum by the Swedish
government later this year. For this
launch Telia is using its existing 700MHz
spectrum, boosted by LTE and New Radio
(NR) carrier aggregation. Allison Kirkby, healthcare, manufacturing and transport life and society for the better right across
CEO, Telia Company, says: “Our networks that will collectively strengthen and protect Sweden. We look forward to working with
have never been more important to lives everyone living and working in Sweden, and our strategic partner Telia Company to
and livelihoods, than now. Telia’s 5G launch Swedish competitiveness in the world.” drive this change and ensure Sweden
lays the foundations for the next phase of Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, benefits from the competitive benefits
digital transformation, with innovation, says: “This is a real milestone for us as of digitalization.” With Telia's launch,
sustainability and security as three critical a Swedish company as we partner with Ericsson now has 39 live 5G networks in
pillars, and we are proud to be doing this Telia Company to make commercial 5G a 22 countries. Ericsson’s live networks are
launch in partnership with Ericsson. As we reality for its users in Stockholm. Whether part of the 91 commercial 5G agreements
roll-out 5G across Sweden, we will open through enhanced mobile broadband or or contracts the company has with unique
up new user experiences and accelerated innovative new business, societal and operators globally, of which 48 are publicly
innovation in areas such as entertainment, industrial applications, 5G is set to change announced 5G deals.

Vodacom Launches Mobile 5G in South Africa

South African operator Vodacom Group laid claim to activating
Africa’s first commercial mobile 5G network, speeding its launch
using temporary spectrum released to help operators meet
heightened demand during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
In a statement, Vodacom said it lit 20 5G sites in Johannesburg,
Pretoria and Cape Town, offering mobile and fixed wireless access
(FWA) services. The operator used one block of 50MHz in the
3.5GHz band, temporary spectrum allocated by regulator ICASA,
to “fast-track” it’s 5G launch and further mitigate increased
traffic during the COVID-19 outbreak. The operator reported a
40 per cent jump in mobile traffic after the country introduced
lockdown measures in early April. Shameel Joosub, Vodacom
CEO, said the launch in South Africa “comes at an important time
as it will help us improve our network efficiency” during the state- Vodacom is currently offering the LG V50 ThinQ 5G smartphone
of-emergency. “This is largely due to the allocation of temporary and Huawei 5G CPE Pro router. Joosub outlined ambitions to
spectrum by ICASA, which has already mitigated the network launch its 5G network earlier this year after signing a roaming
congestion we have experienced since the start of the lockdown agreement to use Liquid Telecom’s 3.5GHz spectrum. In 2018,
period”, Joosub added. Vodacom said it will expand the service Vodacom claimed to have launched the first 5G service in Africa,
as more smartphones, Wi-Fi and FWA routers come to market. with a FWA set-up in Lesotho.

84 MAY 2020