02.10.2023

"5G Plus" launches across O₂ 's 5G network:O₂ Telefónica activates latest network technology for the digitization of Germany

In the O₂ network, O₂ customers will be able to surf and make calls on the new 5G Plus network starting October 10th. O₂ Telefónica uses the term "5G Plus" to refer to 5G standalone technology (5G SA), in which the company exclusively uses the frequencies earmarked for 5G. As a result, 5G Plus, the most advanced mobile communications standard, will allow near real-time communications in the future, deliver even higher speeds and offer new features. For customers, this will improve the experience of digital applications such as virtual and augmented reality or sophisticated mobile gaming.

Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Information Officer (CTIO) of O₂ Telefónica, explains: "5G Plus on the O₂ network marks the beginning of a new technology era. We can sustainably connect our customers at high data rates and enable new digital applications. Now O₂ 's new 5G Plus network is available to more than 90 percent of the population in Germany. By the end of 2025, we will provide the whole of Germany with 5G Plus, giving digitization a massive boost."

O₂ Customers surf even better with 5G Plus

5G Plus refers to O₂ Telefónica's 5G standalone network - "5G SA" for short. Here, the mobile signals are processed in the 5G core network. This is optimized for the technical properties of 5G so that the 5G mobile communications standard can exploit its potential even better in terms of latency, speed and sustainability. Up to now, 5G has been operated as a non-standalone (NSA) partly via the LTE/4G core network.

Making calls over 5G in excellent call quality for the first time

Thanks to 5G Plus, O₂ customers are the first in Germany to be able to make mobile calls via the entire 5G network. In the previous 5G network, smartphones used 4G/LTE technology to handle voice calls. Now, with 5G Plus, customers have access to voice-over-new-radio (VoNR) technology, which enables them to make calls with even better voice quality over the 5G network.

5G Plus will connect the entire society

In the Business segment, O₂ Telefónica has already been using the modern 5G standalone technology in 5G campus networks for companies and public authorities since 2020. From now on, even more companies will benefit from 5G Plus, for example in industry, healthcare or the public sector. The technology opens up new possibilities for the Internet of Things (IoT) and, in addition to robots, sensors or production and logistics facilities, networks medical devices in hospitals, for example.

More sustainable on the web

Thanks to intelligent antenna technologies and automatic control of network capacities, 5G transmits in a particularly user-oriented manner. As a result, 5G Plus is also more energy-efficient than previous mobile communications standards. For example, 5G consumes up to 90 percent less power per byte than previous generations.

5G Plus transmits on multiple frequencies in the O₂ network

5G Plus exclusively uses frequencies designated for 5G in the O₂ network, which currently include 700 megahertz, 3.6 gigahertz and 1800 megahertz (DSS). In 5G Non-Standalone, these were still combined with the available 4G/LTE frequencies. The maximum available bandwidth of 5G Plus will grow continuously in the coming months and years as even more spectrum is deployed for 5G.

Book 5G Plus - this is how it works

The path to 5G Plus is simple for O₂ contract customers and currently free of charge: Starting October 10, they can conveniently activate their 5G Plus Pack for all 5G-capable O₂ rates via the "My O₂ App," the web portal, on the hotline or in the store for 12 months.¹⁾ O₂ business customers can also add the 5G Plus Pack for all current O₂ Business rates (O₂ Business Blue and Unlimited) free of charge via the O₂ Business Service Hotline or the "Business Easy Access" self-management tool. In addition to a 5G-capable rate plan and activation of the 5G Plus Pack, customers also need a 5G Plus-capable SIM and a compatible smartphone. Several models from the manufacturers Samsung and Xiaomi are already ready for 5G Plus (including the Samsung Galaxy S22 and S23 series as well as the Xiaomi 12 and 13 series). Firmware updates from the manufacturers are necessary to use 5G Plus on other smartphones.