Vodafone Ireland Activates 5G Service in 5 Cities

Vodafone Ireland today beat its self-imposed deadline to launch a commercial 5G network, deploying service across parts of five cities. The network operator previously announced plans to activate 5G services during the fourth quarter, but today’s launch puts it more than a month ahead of schedule. That timing is more of a competitive edge, particularly in markets where network operators are clamoring to be first to 5G. Fellow Irish network operators Eir and Three plan to launch their respective 5G networks before the end of the year. Vodafone Ireland’s 5G service is available in parts of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, and Waterford. The company says it will bring service to additional urban areas later this year, and a more widespread rollout during the next two years. The deployment also marks the first use of Vodafone Ireland’s recently acquired spectrum for 5G, according to the companies.