The trial is part of a larger 5G test being carried out by the telco across Manchester
U.K. carrier Vodafone said that it has switched on 5G technology at Manchester Airport.
Manchester Airport is the first of several travel hot spots where Vodafone is currently trialling 5G.
Vodafone said that 5G masts are now in place at the airport, forming part of the 5G trials taking place across the city. Further trials over the coming weeks will include Snow Hill railway station in Birmingham.
“We all love to catch up on our favorite TV shows, play games or finish off some work when traveling. 5G, with its fast speeds and quick response times, will make that quick and easy, even in busy locations,” saidd Nick Jeffery, CEO of Vodafone UK. “We are proud to be the first provider to bring 5G to an airport and will be adding more major travel hotspots to our 5G network throughout the year.”
“We are delighted to support Vodafone’s 5G trial at Manchester Airport. As we progress with the design and delivery of our £1bn ($1.29 billion) transformation program, we are constantly exploring how new innovations and technology can be applied to improve the airport experience,” said Brad Miller, COO of Manchester Airport.“As a business with a strong presence in our surrounding community, Vodafone was a natural partner for a trial project like this and we look forward to collaborating with them again in the future,” Miller added.
Earlier this month, Vodafone UK said it has begun lab tests of a 5G smartphone form factor test device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem using Ericsson radio equipment at the Vodafone Technology Centre in Newbury.
Vodafone is using a smartphone form factor test device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem and antenna modules with integrated RF (radio frequency) transceiver, RF front-end and antenna elements.
The latest test is part of Vodafone’s UK-wide trial of 5G in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Manchester.
Etisalat in process to deploy 600 5G sites across the UAE
In other 5G news, the UAE’s largest telecommunications company, Etisalat, is currently building 600 5G sites across the country as it prepares to launch 5G services for consumers later this year.
The Arab carrier said it aims to deploy 300 5G towers during the first half of the year.
“Etisalat’s technical teams are building 600 5G sites to enable 5G coverage across the country. Our network and infrastructure will be ready to provide the service as soon as the 5G mobile handsets are available in UAE,” said Saeed Al Zarouni, senior vice president, mobile networks, at Etisalat. “Our management’s strategy to focus on digital innovation and to ‘drive the digital future to empower societies’ have led to investments in superior and state-of-the-art technology solutions on the network.”
In the first phase of the 5G launch, fixed wireless services and mobile services will be provided in selected locations across the country, which will gradually expand to other parts of the UAE depending on consumer demand and requirements, according to Etisalat.
Etisalat tested its 5G network last year, achieving speed of 1.5 Gbps at the Expo 2020 site in Dubai.
“The larger bandwidth will provide the capability to handle larger number of connections in any geographical area. With ultra-high speed and low latency services to the user, 5G will enable users to enjoy uninterrupted 4K video streaming, best gaming experience, AR/VR services and autonomous transport,” the executive said. “The 5G network will also empower government entities and the enterprise digital transformation, smart city development and the fourth industrial revolution.”
