Bite Latvia announced this week that it has rapidly increased the coverage of its 5G Network, now operating 389 base stations covering 55 percent of Latvia's population. In March, Bite began developing its 5G Network and activated the first 172 5G base stations. An additional 161 5G base stations are planned for development by the end of 2024, bringing the total to 550.
Expansion of 5G Coverage
With this expansion, the 5G network will cover 75 percent of Latvia's population, Bite said in an official release. Since March 2023, the Bite 5G network has been available in both larger and smaller Latvian cities, with the most active users observed in Riga, Liepaja, Ogre, Jurmala, and Jelgava.
Growth in User Adoption and Data Consumption
Last year, total data consumption on the network increased by 28 percent, with 5G traffic accounting for 17 percent of total data consumption. Additionally, 30 percent of smartphones on the network now have 5G functionality, up from 20 percent the previous year, Bite Latvia reported.
Bite has introduced three different 5G tariff plans for homes and offices, offering internet speeds of up to 150 Mbps, 400 Mbps, and as high as 1 Gbps.
Also Read: Bite Launches VoWiFi Service in Lithuania
Network Investments
The company plans to invest 20.5 million euros in network development this year, including the expansion of 5G availability. This investment will involve constructing new base stations, modernising 200 existing base stations, and other network improvement upgrades.
Network Coverage Expansion
Bite says it is actively expanding network coverage on roads, focusing on Pieriga due to high traffic intensity and the need for a stable, fast network connection. Additionally, Bite continues to invest in modernising the 4G network as the majority of devices still operate on 4G.
Expansion Challenges
The telco also highlighted the challenges faced during the first year of 5G implementation, including weather-related issues such as floods in Jekabpils, frozen wires, and cars stuck in mud and snow. Professional teams also dealt with rodent dens. Despite these challenges, Bite's team worked promptly to repair damage and restore communications to customers, the company said.
