Thirty-six metro stations in the Czech Republic are expected to be covered by Vodafone’s 5G by February 2021
Vodafone Czech Republic took a number of steps towards 5G earlier this week with the launch of next-gen non-standalone (NSA) services within the Prague Metro transportation system, as well as across cities including Prague, Brno, Usti nad Labem, Jesenik and Karlovy Vary.
According to Mobilmania.cz, a total of 15 stations are currently covered with the 65.2 kilometers-long transit network. Thirty-six stations are expected to be covered by February 2021. Specifically, the deployment began between Dejvicka and Museum metro, and the section between Smichovske and Ceskomoravska stations.
TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate has reported that the Vodafone network, which is on the 1.8 GHz band, uses dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS), a technology that enables sharing of frequencies between 4G and 5G networks.
“We will expand the 5G signal to other cities in the coming months. We believe that this technology can change the world for the better and that our contribution to the digitization of the Czech Republic is really visible. However, a truly massive and nationwide 5G expansion won’t really happen without the frequencies that the upcoming auction should offer,” commented Petr Dvořák, CEO of Vodafone Czech Republic.
Earlier this month, the Czech Telecommunication Office (CTU) that seven interested parties are seeking to bid in the Czech Republic’s upcoming sale of 700MHz and 3400MHz-3600MHz for 5G.
All three operators in the country — Vodafone, O2 and T-Mobile — have filed legal complaints against the planned auction, however, CTK news agency reported on Thursday.
Vodafone’s news makes it the second operator to launch 5G services in the Czech Republic, as mid-June reports indicated that O2 has been offering 5G in Prague and Koline since July using the 3.7GHz band.
