O2 Telefonica, the esteemed German telecommunications conglomerate, has recently announced the commencement of trials for 5G Reduced Capability (RedCap) technology in the vibrant city of Munich. This innovative technology, also referred to as NR Light, is specifically tailored for devices with minimal battery consumption, reduced costs, and lower bandwidth requirements, catering to wearables and low-cost hotspots.
The proficient integration of 5G RedCap devices into O2 Telefonica’s commercial 5G network in Munich signifies a pivotal step in establishing a robust technical foundation for the efficient and cost-effective connectivity of millions of devices. Mallik Rao, the esteemed Chief Technology and Information Officer of O2 Telefónica, underscored the significance of vigilantly monitoring the evolving market landscape, product world, and digital applications as this pioneering development progresses.
The introduction of 5G RedCap, as part of the 3GPP Release 17, presents comparable or enhanced performance in comparison to LTE CAT-4 for devices such as wearables and low-cost hotspots. This technological marvel boasts a theoretical maximum downlink throughput of up to 150 Mbps, thereby streamlining the complexity, cost, and size of 5G devices.
O2 Telefonica has been actively collaborating with module and device manufacturers to spearhead the advancement of 5G RedCap technology, achieving substantial progress in fortifying its 5G network for optimal utilization.
Furthermore, O2 Telefonica unveiled that nearly 10,000 5G base stations have been deployed since the pioneering launch of 5G services in October 2020. In the past year alone, the telecommunications powerhouse has successfully erected 3,000 5G base stations nationwide, resulting in an impressive 95% coverage of Germany’s populace. The telco continues to install over 50 new 5G transmitters per week on average, solidifying its commitment to widespread 5G connectivity in the country.
In addition to these remarkable feats, the company has recently introduced its 5G Standalone (SA) network under the esteemed 5G Plus brand in Germany, granting customers access to voice-over-new-radio (VoNR) technology for enhanced quality voice calls across the cutting-edge 5G network.
Since 2020, O2 Telefónica has been leveraging 5G SA technology in 5G campus networks tailored for esteemed companies and public authorities, with plans to extend its reach to multiple sectors including industry, healthcare, and the public sector.
The esteemed 5G Plus network established by the carrier operates on frequencies within the 700 MHz, 1.8 GHz, and 3.6 GHz bands, with the ambitious goal of attaining complete coverage across Germany by the conclusion of 2025.
Furthermore, O2 Telefónica has collaborated with Ericsson to successfully execute a proof of concept (PoC) in advancing 5G cloud RAN technology in Europe, validating the potential of cloud RAN for enterprise, industry-specific, and fixed wireless access (FWA) use cases.
The trials of 5G RedCap technology in Munich are a testament to the continuous advancements that O2 Telefonica is spearheading in the telecommunications arena. The unfolding of this remarkable technology in the imminent future holds tremendous promise.