YOU ARE AT:5GSmarTone uses 3.5 GHz band to boost 5G at Hong Kong airport

SmarTone uses 3.5 GHz band to boost 5G at Hong Kong airport

SmarTone said that this upgrade significantly enhances the 5G network capacity at the airport

Hong Kong carrier SmarTone has recently deployed 5G services using the 3.5 GHz frequency band at Hong Kong International Airport, the telco said in a statement.

The telco noted that this upgrade significantly enhances the 5G network capacity in both indoor and outdoor spaces of the airport.

“Our 5G network fully covers Hong Kong’s major ports, providing uninterrupted high-speed and smooth 5G network experience for the busy inbound and outbound crowd,” the company said.

The first phase of the 5G network upgrade project has been completed, covering the departures hall, arrivals hall, baggage reclaim hall and restricted area of Hong Kong International Airport, SmarTone said, adding: “With the upgraded 5G network now in place, both arriving and departing customers can seamlessly connect to various intelligent facilities throughout the airport and enjoy smooth 5G network experiences.”

SmarTone noted it already provides full 5G coverage in transportation hubs including all 23 road tunnels, major routes, and all MTR stations in Hong Kong.

“SmarTone will continue to expand network coverage and enhance network performance, aiming to provide customers and Hong Kong with the most advanced network infrastructure, leading the development of Hong Kong’s smart city initiatives,” the telco added.

SmarTone had announced the launch of commercial 5G services in the territory using Ericsson’s Dynamic Spectrum Technology (DSS) in 2020.

At the time of the launch, the carrier said it was adopting an integrated approach of combining high, mid and low spectrum bands to build a “robust” 5G network in Hong Kong, adding that the 3.5 GHz spectrum was expected to be progressively deployed across the territory, the telco said.

The operator has 20 megahertz of 3.3 GHz airwaves and 400 megahertz of spectrum in the 26 GHz and 28 GHz bands.

SmarTone had selected Ericsson as its sole supplier for 5G equipment in March 2020.

In its latest financial report, SmarTone stated that 5G subscribers accounted for 38% of its overall customer base as of the end of December 2023, up from 33% in December 2022.

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Juan Pedro Tomás
Juan Pedro Tomás
Juan Pedro covers Global Carriers and Global Enterprise IoT. Prior to RCR, Juan Pedro worked for Business News Americas, covering telecoms and IT news in the Latin American markets. He also worked for Telecompaper as their Regional Editor for Latin America and Asia/Pacific. Juan Pedro has also contributed to Latin Trade magazine as the publication's correspondent in Argentina and with political risk consultancy firm Exclusive Analysis, writing reports and providing political and economic information from certain Latin American markets. He has a degree in International Relations and a master in Journalism and is married with two kids.