Telefonica Germany (O2 Telefonica) said it has reached a milestone in 5G technology, achieving peak download speeds of over 1.7 Gbps by bundling four frequency bands in 5G standalone (SA) mode. For comparison, this speed is nearly double that of the fastest commercial fiber-optic connections available today, 02 Telefonica said in an announcement this week.
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Record-Breaking 5G Speeds
The live test was conducted in collaboration with Nokia at the O2 network's Innovation Cluster in Potsdam, utilising frequencies at 3.6 GHz and 700 MHz, along with 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands normally used for 4G. This technique, known as carrier aggregation, enabled O2 to reach new performance levels, the operator said.
Implications for Customers
"For the first time, we have bundled four frequencies in the standalone 5G network. The speeds achieved in the test illustrate the possibilities that 5G standalone offers in practice. They are a taste of further technological developments and the network expansion of the future," emphasises Director Networks at O2 Telefonica. "For our customers, the progress in 5G technology means even faster mobile internet and better network quality in the future."
Telefonica Germany stated that, with the spectrum used, speeds upto 2 Gbps can be achieved in a laboratory environment. The operator used a Samsung S24 Ultra to take the speed measurements.
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Current 5G Coverage
O2 Telefonica's 5G standalone service has been available since October 2023 and currently covers 96 percent of the German population. The ongoing expansion aims to enhance user experiences, allow more users at a mobile base station to benefit from higher speeds simultaneously, and facilitate innovative applications across various sectors.
