In Frankfurt am Main, Telefónica Deutschland is now also relying on a first radio cell to expand the 5G network, which has been integrated relatively inconspicuously into the street lighting. The small cell provides the new standard within a radius of around 250 meters in addition to the existing 2G/3G/4G supply.
The street lamp, equipped with mobile radio, was erected in cooperation with the energy supplier Mainova and is located at Gutleutstraße 280 near the Sommerhoffpark not far from the banks of the Main. The Mainova subsidiary SRM Street Lighting Rhein-Main and its partner G & amp; G Stadtsysteme were also involved in the implementation. The subsidiary operates around 70,000 street lights on around 55,000 masts and now also a first mast with 5G.
Active antennas at a height of 10 meters
The active 5G antennas hang on the mast at a height of around 10 meters, and the lighting, which uses LED technology, is located directly above it. Telefónica Deutschland is currently setting up the 5G network exclusively in the fast high band at 3.6 GHz, which requires active antennas. In the low-band at 700 MHz, 5G and LTE are to be offered in the future using Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS), which runs via existing antennas.
Full coverage with 5G by the end of 2025
The network operator wants to achieve full coverage of the population with 5G by the end of 2025. In the future, innovative solutions should also play a role. “The first 5G street light in Frankfurt am Main is a smart approach that sensibly combines two infrastructures that are already required in urban areas and makes efficient use of the limited space in densely built-up areas,” said Mallik Rao, CTIO of Telefónica Deutschland/O2. Plans for the further development of 5G small cells in street lighting have not yet been announced.
Small cells also for networked driving
The new location in Frankfurt am Main is intended to densify the cellular network and offer faster transmission rates. In the future, real-time applications such as networked driving should also be implemented via such locations.