Elisa connects first residential users to 5G SA network as part of pre-commercial tests

Finnish mobile network operator (MNO) Elisa has announced that the first residential users have been connected to its in-deployment 5G Standalone (SA) network as part of tests being conducted ahead of a commercial launch. In a press release regarding the development, Elisa said its 5G SA network has been made available to end users in Helsinki and Vantaa for fixed wireless home broadband connectivity. Users taking part in the tests were said to have each been allocated their own network slice, with Elisa claiming this setup saw more consistent speeds for users across all times of day.

With regards to plans for a commercial launch, Elisa says it expects 5G SA compatible devices to become more widely available ‘during the winter’, following which it will look to provide further details regarding its plans to make the technology available to end users.