Spanish operator Telefonica has officially announced its decision to award the contracts to deploy its 5G standalone (SA) radio networks across Spain to Nordic vendors Ericsson and Nokia.
The deployment of Nokia and Ericsson 5G SA networks will be carried out on the 3.5 GHz and 700 MHz bands, Telefonica said.
Joaquín Mata, General Director of Operations, Network and IT of Telefónica Spain, said: “This is the most appropriate scenario for Telefónica since we maintain the 4G providers and provide us with stability for the deployment and development of 5G. … Both Ericsson and Nokia have responded in an outstanding way in the radio deployments in Telefónica’s 2G, 3G and 4G networks in Spain. In 5G, all the suppliers have also shown to be well prepared technically so that we feel very comfortable with having the best technological partners that will help us develop 5G at the highest level of quality”.
As part of the evolution of 5G, the agreement includes radio access software that will support Telefónica in the different phases of implementation of the standards, including massive deployment of 5G Standalone, development of use cases supported by network slicing and new applications based on URLLC (Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communications) and mMTC (Massive Machine Type Communications).
Telefónica currently offers 5G coverage to 80% of the population and has the largest mobile network in Spain, with a total of 22,000 base stations. During the first half of 2021, the deployment of 5G has focused on completing coverage in the cities deployed last year and reaching cities with more than 20,000 inhabitants.
All the provincial capitals and autonomous cities, 100% of the cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants and 98% of those with more than 20,000 inhabitants, as well as small towns in all the autonomous communities already have 5G, the Spanish telco said.
Telefónica’s 5G network currently combines the deployment of 5G NSA and DSS (Dynamic Spectrum Sharing).
Telefónica recently confirmed that it will participate in the auction of the 700 MHz band for 5G, which will be held this week.
The Spanish government recently said it had received requests from telecommunications operators Telefónica, Vodafone and Orange to participate in the upcoming auction of 700MHz frequencies.
In the auction, a total of 75 MHz divided into 60 MHz for upstream and downstream communications, and 15MHz for downstream only, will be tendered, distributed in seven state-wide concessions. Four concessions correspond to two 2×10 MHz blocks and two 2×5 MHz blocks, in the paired band 703-733 MHz and 758-788 MHz for upstream and downstream communications (FDD). Also, the government will award three concessions in the 738-753 MHz band, each of which will assign the use of a 5 MHz block for downstream communications only (SDL).
The Spanish government aims for 75% of the population to have 5G coverage by 2025 through the bands that have been identified as priorities: 694-790 MHz, 3.4-3.8 GHz and 24.25-27.5 GHz.
