MOBILE data speeds that far surpass those of the fastest available domestic broadband networks are coming to Edinburgh after EE chose it for the phase one launch of 5G technology.
It joins the UK’s other capital cities – London, Cardiff and Belfast – as well as Birmingham and Manchester in being part of the first phase.
EE, which is part of BT Group, will roll out 5G to 16 cities across the UK next year, including Glasgow, Liverpool and Hull. It said these were among the busiest places in the country, where the power of 5G technology can offer a more reliable data connection, even the biggest crowds.
Multiple smartphone partners will be included in the launch, as well as an EE 5G home router with external antenna, which will showcase the power of 5G for broadband.
BT’s technology team build the next generation hardware with virtualised network functions on a cloud infrastructure.
The BT 21CN backbone network is Petabit (1000 terabits) class, and will ensure the platform is future-proofed to enable a “world-leading” 5G experience.
Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Secretary, Michael Matheson, said: “I welcome today’s announcement from EE which will bring the latest mobile technology to Edinburgh and Glasgow and which will further enhance both cities’ credentials as places to live, visit and do business in.
“Commercial rollout of 5G by EE and the other mobile network operators supports our wider ambition of Scotland having an early advantage of this new and emerging technology. We know that demands for even more data will increase and this is why we have committed to developing a forward-looking strategy on 5G.
“We have recently awarded a contract for the Scottish 4G Infill Programme in which we will invest up to £25 million to deliver masts and 4G mobile services in selected mobile ‘notspots’ throughout Scotland.”
The 5G technology promises mobile data speeds of up to 100 gigabits per second, and is expected to reach up to 1000 times faster than 4G.
When the fourth generation of mobile connectivity came to the fore in the noughties, it was up to 500 times faster than 3G, with support for mobile, high-quality video calls and fast web browsing.
While the development of 4G was a massive feat for mobile tech, it is now common world-wide. The Internet of Things (IoT) – which requires a massive number of network connections – is one of the major drivers of its successor. By 2020, more than 20 billion devices and appliances are expected to be connected to the IoT.
Adam McVey, leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I welcome today’s announcement from EE.
“With the number of residents, businesses and visitors to the city growing all the time, we know that demands for data will continue to increase.
“This 5G rollout by EE will help meet this demand while ensuring Edinburgh remains one of the most connected cities in the UK.”
Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s consumer division, added: “Our 5G trials are going well, giving us valuable insight into both the performance of the new technology and the challenges of upgrading sites with this new equipment.
“We’re confident that we can bring 5G to the busiest parts of Edinburgh and the UK in 2019.
“We’ll start with the busiest ‘hotspots’, meeting the greatest demand from our customers, and keep upgrading in more places from there.”
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