Telefónica achieves speeds of 1 Gbps. with 4.9G technology over the existing network in a real environment

In collaboration with Nokia and Samsung, Telefónica has developed this pioneering pilot in Spain in Segovia that on the commercial network allows evaluating the network in its evolution towards 5G and testing new use cases.

Telefónica, in collaboration with Nokia y Samsung, has advanced in Segovia towards the 4.9 LTE ​​Advanced Pro (pre-5G) technology about the commercial network with jobs in different Nokia AirScale base stations already existing and with smartphones Samsung S9/S9+ category 18 that has allowed data communications to be carried out in a real environment and outside the laboratory.

Specifically, this experience, the first in Spain, has reached speeds above 1Gbps, similar to those that fiber can provide but in mobility. To offer these speeds, Telefónica has used three bands of its licensed spectrum in which work has been carried out to improve infrastructure and optimize frequencies.

As highlighted Javier Gutierrez, director of Network and IT Infrastructure Strategy and Development at Telefónica, “the deployment of 4.9, which extends the capabilities of the current 4G network, is a necessary step to prepare for the deployment of 5G. Carrying it out on the Segovia commercial network will allow us to evaluate the behavior of both the network and the traffic generated by users, as well as test new use cases linked to high speed.”

For its part, Marc Rouanne, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, commented: "We are pleased to be part of Telefónica's journey towards 5G, enabling this milestone in the evolution of Telefónica's network with our AirScale base stations, ready for 5G, and backed by the experience of our engineers. Real pilots such as Telefónica's 5G Technology Cities project are important because they offer valuable information to achieve an effective introduction of 5G."

"Samsung has the ability to provide the technology and innovation necessary for the comprehensive development of 5G. In this case, in Spain, our latest generation smartphones Galaxy S9 and S9+ are already capable of providing service to the users of this initiative carried out in Segovia and who will be the first to enjoy the functionalities and speed of the new technology," he commented. Celestino Garcia, corporate vice president of Samsung Spain.

This deployment is framed within the Telefónica's 5G Technological Cities project which will implement the first capabilities of the fifth mobile generation in Segovia and Talavera de la Reina over the next two years and will develop use cases that will allow citizens and companies to enjoy the advantages of this technology.