Vodafone uses 5G turbo: standalone as the first in Germany

5G standalone is the new magic word in the mobile communications industry. Vodafone wants to decouple the entire 5G network from the previous technology in the coming year. That is supposed to distribute fast mobile internet nationwide.

Vodafone: With 5G, things will now be quick

This is an announcement from Vodafone CEO Hannes Ametsreiter: “We are turning on the expansion turbo and turning our entire 5G network into a real-time network – in the city and in the country, with all available 5G frequencies.” the Germany boss of the mobile phone and internet provider today. The goal: Vodafone wants 60 million customers to have access to 5G by 2023 enable (source: Vodafone).

This should enable a technical conversion to 5G standalone, which is planned in the entire 5G network. The existing 5G antennas will also be converted for stand-alone operation. Users should not only benefit from the higher data rates, but also from even lower latency – Real time.

However, by converting existing antennas and expanding them further, one thing above all is to be achieved: reach more customers. According to the company, it is currently reaching around 35 million people. In a year you want to almost double.

The now activated frequencies in the range of 700 MHz should bring the decisive plus in the range. While the frequencies at 3.5 GHz enable particularly high data rates over a relatively short distance of a few hundred meters, a radius of 700 MHz can be achieved covered up to eight kilometers around an antenna will.

5G expansion: urban-rural divide remains

But the range has a price: As consumers know from LTE, for example, something very different in the country than in the city means. The 5G standalone network from Vodafone should be able to bring it to over 1 GBit / s in the 3.5 GHz range. The middle frequencies at 1.8 GHz still manage up to 500 Mbit / s, while at 700 MHz “only” achieved up to 200 Mbit / s will. Vodafone advertises the 5G network in video:

Nevertheless, Vodafone customers have reason to be happy with the announcement: the 5G network in rural areas will definitely be faster than LTE or even a fallback to Edge. Even if the full 200 Mbit / s should not always be available everywhere, most everyday applications can be done much more quickly.

What is needed for this is a smartphone that is designed for the fast cellular standard. Are on it so far rather few consumers have switched, This is likely to change in the coming years thanks to more new models with 5G modems.