Telefonica set to launch 5G SA network next week

Telefonica Deutschland, which provides services under the O2 brand name, plans to switch on its 5G Standalone (SA) network on 10 October. From that date, O2 contract customers with a compatible SIM card and smartphone that are within coverage areas will be able to surf the internet and make calls via Voice-over-New Radio (VoNR) technology on the new network, referred to by Telefonica as ‘5G Plus’. The service will be free of charge via the ‘5G Plus Pack’ add-on option for a period of twelve months.

‘5G Plus on the O2 network marks the beginning of a new technology era. We can sustainably connect our customers at high data rates and enable new digital applications,’ said Mallik Rao, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) of Telefonica Deutschland, adding: ‘Now O2’s new 5G Plus network is available to more than 90% of the population in Germany. By the end of 2025, we will provide the whole of Germany with 5G Plus, giving digitisation a massive boost.’

The service, which is currently available to more than 90% of the population, exclusively uses frequencies designated for 5G in the O2 network, which currently includes the 700MHz, 3.6GHz and 1800MHz (DSS) bands. Telefonica adds that the maximum available bandwidth of 5G Plus will grow continuously in the coming months and years as even more spectrum is deployed.