Deutsche Telekom is laying the foundation for the rollout of 5G in Germany with the deployment of the first 5G antennas in Europe in Deutsche Telekom's network in downtown Berlin.
The antennas, in three cells are based on 5G New Radio (5G NR). With this technical setup, Deutsche Telekom said it has successfully demonstrated Europe's first 5G data connection over a live network.
Currently, the Group is deploying an entire 5G cluster in the heart of Berlin. Currently, the antennas are using frequencies in the 3.7 GHz spectrum band under a testing license; in general, the 3-GHz band is one of the spectrum bands in focus for 5G initial deployments.
For the pre-commercial set up in the center of Berlin, 5G equipment is integrated into the live network infrastructure, meaning it is interacting with Deutsche Telekom's 4G spectrum in Germany. This will enable the interconnection and field testing of future 5G services under real-world conditions.
The implementation is using commercial 5G equipment from Huawei, as well as software and terminals, based on the 3GPP standard for 5G New Radio (in the non-standalone version).
Advanced antenna techniques are used to increase capacity and data rates in 5G NR compared to 4G. "Massive MIMO" (multiple input, multiple output) greatly increases number of antenna elements deployed at both the base station and in the subscriber device. The large numbers of antenna elements used in Massive MIMO 5G antennas – up to 64 per antenna – greatly improve coverage precision for each individual user. What's more, the use of multi-user beamforming technology in combination with Massive MIMO optimizes the data transmission to each user, thereby multiplying the efficiency of spectral use, said the Operator.
Claudia Nemat, Deutsche Telekom Board Member for Technology and innovation
Today, right in the heart of Berlin, we're taking the next decisive step – with the successful integration of commercial 5G technology into our network. We want to ensure that 5G is going to deliver on its promise of enhanced mobility, high speed and low latency.
Walter Goldenits, CTO, Telekom Deutschland
This 5G cluster in Berlin will serve as the basis for our future commercial 5G rollout in Germany. The antennas are providing important test results. At the same time, they are real elements of what will be our future 5G network.
