The rollout of 5G networks worldwide is happening quickly as regional telecoms and cities realize the value and excitement of the next-generation wireless cellular technology. As a result, numerous announcements are happening every week.
While many larger nations have already deployed 5G to a number of cities, the market is starting to see smaller ones deploy their own networks. Setar, a telecom in Aruba, and Greenland have chosen suppliers for the network this week.
Reuters reported that Greenland has picked Swedish equipment maker Ericsson over China’s Huawei to supply 5G networks through operator Tele Greenland. Ericsson previously supplied the 4G network for the country and Tele Greenland said it picked Ericsson for 5G after considering the price and security of the technology.
The United States, New Zealand, Australia and a handful of other countries have previously banned the use of Huawei 5G equipment fearing that it would lead to high-tech spying. Other countries, specifically those in Europe, have been less apt to ban the equipment maker from its plans for 5G.
In Aruba, Setar has chosen Nokia to provide a full end-to-end 5G network in a phased approach that will see the Finnish equipment vendor upgrading RAN access and modernizing elements of the core and data management system. Nokia said this will be its first end-to-end 5G deal in Latin America.
The upgraded network will allow it to future-proof its infrastructure and offer new business services in hospitality, healthcare and gaming markets.
The upgraded network will consist of evolving Setar’s network architecture with centralized RAN and AirScale Cloud, adding capacity, activation of features such as carrier aggregation, 256QAM and MIMO4x4 to enable three- to four-fold higher downlink speeds, upgrade to 5G in sites using Nokia massive MIMO technology with 64 antennas, the introduction of a shared data layer and installation of a virtualized evolved packet core (vEPC) for a three-fold increase in efficiency of mobility and gateway functions.
Meanwhile, U.K. telecom EE has switched on its 5G network in six new cities, bringing the total number of cities and towns with 5G connectivity to 50.
EE has added Hull, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield and Sunderland to it 5G network. It has already rolled out coverage to London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Northampton, Glasgow, Wolverhampton, Liverpool, Leicester, Bristol, Stevenage and Wakefield. This number of cities has surpassed its initial target of introducing 5G in 16 cities in 2019.
Additionally, the company has installed 5G networks in high footfall places, including London Euston Station, Cardiff Central station, Glasgow’s Bath Street and St Enoch Square, Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium, and Coventry’s Council House and Cathedral ruins.
EE is targeting by March of next year to have 5G coverage live in more than 70 cities and large towns. Just last month, EE expanded its 5G service to 14 cities and towns after initially launching its 5G network in May.
