Swisscom is pushing ahead with the expansion of the 5G network and aims to deploy its 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) radio network nationwide by the end of the year.
According to Mobile World Live, the operator deploys 100 sites 5G sites in 50 cities and villages at launch and it plans to expand he coverage to more than 90 per cent population coverage by the end of the year. Known as 5G-wide, this stage of the expansion uses frequencies that permit extensive coverage.
Following the first prototypes at the end of 2018, Swisscom now announced four end devices for sale. The very first 5G device in the Swisscom shop comes from Oppo, followed by other brands such as LG (from May), Samsung (from July) and Huawei (third quarter).
Oppo Reno 5G, their first 5G smartphone, will be available from May in the Swisscom Shop. Based on a Qualcomm chipset, it impresses with an almost borderless screen, a 10x hybrid zoom and a special night mode. It is aimed in particular at a young, creative audience. Existing inOne mobile smartphone subscriptions already support 5G. Those who want even more speed, can purchase a Premium Speed option for CHF 10 per month. New opportunities in a networked world These devices will multiply the applications. Swisscom presented real applications for virtual and augmented reality and gaming at its media event. It's no coincidence that these are among the first: they demonstrate the possibilities of the new technology such as speed, low latency and high capacity.
The first 5G devices run on a proven frequency in the 3.5 gigahertz band, which was previously used for outdoor TV reports and has now been approved by the federal government for mobile communications. This frequency is designed to achieve speeds of up to 2 Gbit/s (5G-fast).
Urs Schaeppi, CEO, Swisscom
The full potential of 5G will initially be exploited by companies. This requires a full-service provider like Swisscom who combines the possibilities of 5G with the Internet of Things, the cloud or data analytics. Companies can benefit from this. They can save costs in the long term and take advantage of new opportunities.
