Vodafone Hungary launched a commercial 5G service a few days before the official announcement ceremony with politicians, writes local online publication Hwsw.hu. The service provider does not charge for 5G access, and all customers with Red tariffs and 5G capable devices can join the next generation network.
The company was the first in Hungary to turn on and make available the 5G network to a wider range of subscribers. Its rivals will be able to launch their 5G networks at the end of 2019 or early in 2020.
The operator has been preparing for the commercial launch for months and, unlike its rivals, it doesn't have to wait months for telecom authority NMHH's frequency auction to end to launch commercial 5G services in the country.
Vodafone and Digi are the two Hungarian operators with their own infrastructure to win frequency licences in the 3.6 GHz band at NMHH's 2016 frequency bid for the 5G band. Taking advantage of this position, Vodafone gradually began to roll out 5G cells in downtown Budapest over the summer using the 3.6 GHz frequency band.
The service will initially be available in north-south Budapest along the Danube axis. Although the service provider mainly focuses on the central areas of the capital, depending on the reception conditions and terminal equipment, the commercial network extends to at least half a dozen districts of Budapest.
Vodafone's 5G network is reported to provide an average download bandwidth of 150-600 Mbps. Actual speed values may vary depending on cell load, reception conditions and client type.
