5G operators update their trials and launch plans
They are exploring key 5G technologies including new radio (NR) operating in spectrum bands; technologies such as massive MIMO, or beam-forming; and backhaul, cloud- and edge-computing arrangements to support very low latencies.
5G LAUNCH PLANS
Optus Australia
Optus announced its plans to start rolling out a fixed wireless 5G network in early 2019.
Telstra Australia
Telstra plans to deploy its 5G network in three phases with full deployment expected in 2020.
Zain Bahrain
Zain aims 5G launch in 2018.
Viva Bahrain
The company plans to deploy and launch 5G services once the spectrum is made available.
Claro Brazil
Claro Brazil plans to launch 5G in 2020.
Telus Canada
Telus plans to deploy 5G in the 2019–2020 period.
China Mobile
China Mobile started deployments in Hangzhou and Shanghai. It plans launch in 2019.
China Unicom
China Unicom started 5G pilot projects in 16 Chinese cities. It plans to deploy the technology commercially by 2020.
China Telecom
China Telecom plans commercial 5G launch by 2020.
T-Hrvatski Telekom
T-Hrvatski Telekom plans to launch 5G in Croatia in 2020.
Vodafone Czechia
Vodafone plans to deploy 5G in the first quarter of 2019.
TeliaEesti Estonia
TeliaEesti plans to launch 5G in 2018 in Estonia.
TeliaSonera Finland
TeliaSonera plans to launch 5G in 2018 in Finland.
DNA Finland
DNA plans to launch 5G in 2019 in Finland. The operator plans a 5G network demo with expected speeds of more than 1 Gbps in the summer of 2018.
Orange France
Orange France plans to deploy 5G by 2020 in France.
SFR France
SFR’s 5G deployment is planned in 2019 with commercial launch in 2020 in France.
Deutsche Telekom
Deutsche Telekom announced in May 2018 that it had deployed six 5G antennas in Berlin. It intends to deploy 70 more at 20 sites during summer 2018 in preparation for its full 5G deployment, expected for 2020.
Telefonica (O2) Germany
Telefonica and Nokia are planning 5G trials in Munich and Berlin. Deployment is due for 2021.
China Mobile
China Mobile Hong Kong has received permission to test 5G. The operator plans tests in the second half of 2018. 5G launch is expected in 2020.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam
India’s BSNL is set to launch 5G services in India in 2020.
Vodafone Ireland
Vodafone Ireland is expected to introduce 5G in 2020.
TIM Italy
TIM plans to establish 75 percent 5G coverage in its 5G testing area in Matera and Bari by the end of 2018 and a full coverage by 2020.
NTT Docomo Japan
NTT Docomo plans to roll out 5G network across Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games. Docomo is deploying NSA 5G, with plans to later launch 5G SA.
Softbank / Ymobile
Softbank/Ymobile plans to deploy 5G by 2020.
Viva Kuwait
Viva Kuwait demonstrated its 5G readiness at its HQ. Once regulatory approval is received the company says it will launch for customers.
LMT Latvia
LMT’s first commercial services are anticipated in 2020.
Spark New Zealand
Spark plans to begin rolling out a 5G network in 2018-19 in New Zealand.
Vodafone New Zealand
Vodafone plans to start switching users to 5G in New Zealand by 2021.
PLDT Philippines
PLDT plans 5G commercial roll-out in 2020.
Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom plans launch of fixed wireless access 5G in 2019 in Philippines.
Orange Polska
Orange Polska plans to start testing of 5G in 2019 and plans implementation in 2020-21 in Poland.
Vodafone Portugal
Vodafone Portugal’s CEO said he expects the company to begin offering commercial 5G in 2020.
Vodafone Qatar
Vodafone Qatar plans to introduce 5G at the end of 2018.
Orange Romania
Orange Romania plans to launch 5G in 2020.
Megafon/Yota Russia
Megafon has deployed test 5G networks in stadiums hosting the 2018 World Cup matches in Moscow, and is planning future full 5G deployment.
MTS Russia
MTS has signed an agreement with Ericsson to upgrade the operator’s network to 5G. 5G launch is expected in 2020.
Rostelecom Russia
Rostelecom plans to deploy a commercial 5G network in 2019 in Russia.
TIM San Marino
TIM plans to progressively deploy new technologies in San Marino (starting in 2018) with a view to making San Marino one of the first countries in the world with a 5G service.
Orange Slovensko
Orange Slovensko announced plans to launch 5G between 2020 and 2022.
Comsol South Africa
Comsol plans to launch trials of FWA 5G in South Africa with aims to launch services in 2019.
SK Telecom
SK Telecom plans to launch 5G in the first half of 2019 in South Korea.
KT Corporation
KT’s network business head said that KT plans to start providing 5G starting March 2019 in South Korea.
LG Uplus
LG Uplus is expected to launch its 5G network in early 2019 in South Korea.
Telefonica (Movistar) Spain
Telefonica plans to launch 5G in 2021 in Spain.
Orange Spain
Orange plans 5G deployment in 2019 in four Spanish cities using the 3.5 GHz band.
Masmovil (Yoigo) Spain
Masmovil is deploying 5G-ready equipment to upgrade its network in Spain.
SLT (Mobitel)
SLT plans to launch a 5G network by 2020 in Sri Lanka.
TeliaSonera
TeliaSonera plans to launch 5G in Sweden by the end of 2018.
Tele2 Sweden
Tele2 Sweden signed an agreement to jointly develop its 5G network with Telenor in Sweden. 5G launch is expected in 2020.
Swisscom
Swisscom will launch its 5G commercial network in Switzerland in the end of 2018.
Sunrise Communications
Sunrise announced that its first 5G antenna was operational in Switzerland. Full 5G service is expected in 2020.
Salt Switzerland
Salt Switzerland will launch 5G in 2020.
Chunghwa Telecom
Chunghwa announced plans to build a pre-commercial 5G network in part of Taipei to serve as a testbed for future projects, with a target launch date of 2020.
Asia Pacific Telecom
The operator is preparing for 5G launch in Taiwan in 2020.
TrueMove Thailand
TrueMove plans to launch 5G in Thailand in 2020.
EE/BT
EE/BT plans to launch 5G in UK in 2019.
Vodafone
Vodafone UK plans to launch 5G in 2020.
O2 UK
O2 is expected to launch 5G from 2020 onwards.
3
Three signed an agreement with SSE Enterprise Telecoms to bring 20 core datacentres onnet as it prepares to start rolling out 5G in UK.
Du
Du announced it expects to have a 5G network ready in 2018 for the arrival of 5G devices in 2019 in UAE.
Sprint USA
Sprint has previously plans to launch commercial services and devices in New York City, Arizona’s largest city, Phoenix, and its hometown of Kansas City Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Washington DC in 2019.
AT&T Mobility
AT&T announced that it expects to introduce mobile 5G service in a dozen cities including Dallas, Atlanta and Waco by late 2018.
T-Mobile USA
T-Mobile’s 5G deployment is expected to start in 2019 with nationwide coverage in 2020. Following its anticipated merger with Sprint, the combined businesses are expected to build a 5G network reaching 90 percent of the US population by 2024.
Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless plans to commercially deploy 5G services in three to five cities in 2018.
DISH
DISH plans to launch a 5G service in the future, but is not expected to be able to use its spectrum in the 600 MHz band until it is freed up by boradcasters – not anticipated much before 2020.