Vodafone switches on 5G mobile network

Mobile network operator Vodafone has officially launched its 5G mobile network service at an event in the City of London, with UK chief executive Nick Jeffery and reigning Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton pushing the ceremonial big red button, marking the culmination of a multi-year, £4.5bn transformation and preparation programme for the operator. Initially available in seven cities, as well as at Vodafone’s Berkshire headquarters and on the Isles of Scilly in Cornwall, the service will run over its all-fibre RedStream backhaul network, which also supports its existing 3G and 4G networks, as well as home broadband and enterprise customers. The network is built on Ericsson’s Radio System (ERS) portfolio, including its new Baseband 6630 and Massive MIMO 6488 products which, combined with underlying LTE technology, should offer users speeds 10 times faster than on 4G right out of the gate. The ERS also includes dynamic spectrum sharing which will let Vodafone extend its coverage over a larger area by using its existing 4G spectrum.