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Three Ireland has activated its 5G network across the country, offering coverage at select sites in all counties.
Claiming to have the largest 5G network in Ireland, the mobile operator has enabled 315 sites for next-generation technology and plans to add more sites early next year. At launch, it has a population coverage of around 35 percent, but that will increase with the addition of 500 sites next year.
“What we hope is that by the end of next year we will far exceed the population coverage of 50% and continue to grow,” said David Hennessy, Chief Technology Officer at Three Ireland. “It is about having a very important proposal for our clients and a very important service.”
Three joins Vodafone and Eir to offer 5G services to customers, but hopes its broader offering will appeal to customers. The company offers 5G packages for commercial, bill pay and prepaid customers, with some plans including the use of 5G and others requiring an add-on, typically costing € 5.
Customers will also need a 5G-capable phone to access the next-generation network. Three will launch with five 5G devices, but expect to have as many as 15 by the end of the year.
The move comes at a time when mobile networks are under pressure as more people work from home and rely on mobile data services. Three Ireland’s network experienced an outage on Sunday that caused customers to experience problems with their data service for several hours before it was resolved.
The switch to 5G could be good news for workers, particularly even if they are in more rural areas.
“The connectivity that people need to work or play from an entertainment perspective has never been so good, so if there is something that can help connectivity, speed and, if we talk about games, latency, people are. searching. They want the ability to have that connectivity and the speed of connectivity that doesn’t interfere with their daily lives, ”said Elaine Carey, Three Ireland’s chief business officer. “One of our great things is to improve life through connectivity and this is one of the main demonstrations of this is the ability that customers now have to have the 5g device in all countries.”
Ms Carey said the changing dynamics in the workplace and remote work have made her strategy of rolling out 5G in all countries and at all customer levels “very important.”
There are a number of benefits for the new generation of mobile technology, with data rates of up to 1 Gbit per second possible. That makes it an average of five to 10 times faster than the typical 4G connection. The technology is also expected to facilitate advances in agriculture, education, health and transportation.
“The jump from 3G to 4G was big, but 4G to 5G is just as big or even bigger,” Hennessy said. “It’s noticeably better even for basic things like sailing; you can see the absolute immediacy of everything you touch. It’s like driving a really good car, you know, it’s reactive, it goes fast, you don’t wait. People will really see a difference with this. “
Three has an annual network investment of more than 100 million euros. It has partnered with Ericsson to offer the new network.
“We began our 5G rollout with Ericsson last year, building our network to provide customers in rural and urban areas with the best possible 5G experience from the ground up, including providing ultra-fast broadband to remote areas in Ireland,” he said. Robert Finnegan, CEO of Three Ireland and Three UK. “With our nationwide 5G footprint already in place and a variety of 5G-enabled devices on the market, we believe that now is the right time to launch. Connectivity is vital to our daily lives, which is why we wanted to be the first in the country to offer prepaid customers and bill paying customers a 5G experience. 5G is transforming the way we connect, work, entertain, and live our lives.
“Having seen what 5G can do and the latency it provides, I am excited to see the economic developments and opportunities this brings to Ireland as we strive to compete in a global environment where connectivity is crucial.”
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