Hutchison Drei Austria has announced the launch of a trial 5G Standalone (5G SA) network in the capital Vienna.
The operator intends to launch a commercial 5G SA network in spring 2022 and will use spectrum in the 700MHz and 1500MHz bands that it acquired at auction in September last year.
The CTO of Drei, Matthias Baldermann, said, “Drei was the first pure 3G provider in Austria. We have made mobile internet at home suitable for the mass market and launched our 4G network as the first operator in Austria.
“After the pandemic year 2020, we are once again proving our pioneering role with one of the first 5G standalone test companies in Europe. Based on a joint new core network, we will start commercial operation of 5G standalone in a few months.
“With the largest 5G network in Austria, we will bring households and companies in every corner of the country the full potential of 5G in addition to very fast internet.”