Telenor launching 5G SA in 2022, shutting UMTS-2100 by year-end

Telenor Denmark has revealed that throughout 2022 it plans to upgrade another 1,400 masts to 5G, commence the deployment of a 5G Standalone (SA) network, shut down its 3G network and interconnect its masts and core network via fibre. The operator said that it upgraded 1,000 mobile masts in most parts of the country to 5G in 2021, while also upgrading the 4G network by increasing capacity and speeds. In 2022 Telenor is planning to start offering a ‘pure 5G experience’ where both the core network and the transport network run on 5G: ‘When our network becomes 100% 5G, we can build our core function into the cloud, and it allows us to get closer to our customers. On 4G and non-standalone 5G, the traffic via our physical core network and the millisecond delay can make the difference between life or death if, for example, we are talking self-driving cars or remote-controlled operations … When the core network is in the cloud via local data centers, the response time becomes extremely low. Thus, we can start building private networks for customers with special requirements. This is especially true for business and industry, which can greatly benefit from private 5G networks that can be completely sealed and cut off from the public network.’

Regarding the 3G shutdown, the company ceased offering 3G over the 2100MHz band in 2021, to optimise the capacity of the network and make the best possible use of resources. At the end of the summer of 2022, the decommissioning of the last 3G components on the 900MHz band will begin, with Telenor set to use the spectrum for 5G going forward. Jesper Molbak, Network Architect at Telenor, said: ‘Even if we shut down 3G, you will still be able to call and text with a 3G phone. But it will no longer be possible to use data.’