1&1 begins 5G trial operation

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11 begins 5g trial operation.jpeg
11 begins 5g trial operation.jpeg

1&1 has tested the first 5G transmissions with selected participants and is delighted. Real customers will have to wait a while longer.

 

Germany’s fourth mobile network is making progress. The United Internet subsidiary 1&1 Mobilfunk reports that it started the first “live tests under real conditions and in real customer behavior” in July. The company’s own 5G mobile network, which 1&1 is currently building, was used. The test results exceeded their own expectations, the company says.

 

In the tests, data transmissions of more than one gigabit per second were successful. In 24 hours, around eight terabytes were transmitted per customer, which the company message on Linkedint. Last but not least, 1&1 is proud of the low latency of just three milliseconds under ideal conditions. That means: little load on the network and the data packets do not go to the public Internet, but only to a gaming server in the edge cloud, i.e. at the mobile phone base station or server installed somewhere else near the user.

When fully expanded, the 1&1 mobile network will use more than 500 edge data centers distributed across Germany. This not only reduces the signal propagation times for selected data and services, but also relieves the data lines.

1&1 would like to let real customers onto its 5G mobile network from next summer, the company writes. Until then, of course, there will be no nationwide coverage. Rather, 1&1 has concluded a national roaming agreement with Telefónica in order to be able to make a viable mobile phone offer. 1&1 is currently operating as a virtual mobile communications provider (MVNO) without its own network and relies on the services of Vodafone and Telefónica. By 2030 at the latest, 1&1 must reach at least half of all German residences with its own mobile network.

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The Japanese Rakuten Group, which relies on open network standards (Open RAN), is responsible for setting up and operating the 1&1 network. This means that instead of specialized hardware, there is a strong focus on standard hardware and virtualization. Because the network operator no longer necessarily has to buy from the small group of specialized mobile communications equipment suppliers such as Ericsson, Nokia and Huawei, this should lower costs and reduce dependence on individual suppliers.

However, as far as is known, 1&1 relies in large areas on individual providers, namely Rakuten and its subsidiaries, as well as Nokia for important core network components. Several suppliers for the same areas have not yet been presented. Less complexity saves money, but it makes you more dependent on one supplier. The advertised OpenRAN advantage falters.

According to a report, the parent company United Internet would like to sell its portals GMX and Web.de in order to raise money. And in the faint hope of saving money, 1&1 is asking for the free allocation of additional mobile radio frequencies instead of the established auctions.