Eir says its 5G network has grown threefold since launch

Telco Eir has said its 5G network has grown threefold since its launch 11 months ago with 340 sites live.

In an update, the company also said 4G is now available to more than 99 per cent of the population with over 1,000 mobile sites now upgraded.

Eir chief executive Carolan Lennon said the company would continue to expand its 5G networks with more sites being added weekly.

“Reliable and fast connectivity are vital to supporting new ways of working, living, educating and keeping in touch. Throughout the ovid-19 emergency, Eir has prioritised mobile capacity upgrades and coverage enhancements to facilitate remote working and connectivity for our customers on our 4G and 5G networks,” she said.

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The news comes as Three Ireland became the latest mobile operator to switch on its 5G network. The company on Monday launched with an initial 315 sites live, giving it 35 per cent population coverage. It said it will add an extra 500 sites next year.

Vodafone was the first mobile operator to roll out 5G services when its network went live last August.

The company currently has 5G sites live in 14 counties and is targeting 26 counties by March 2021, which would give it 30 per cent population coverage.

It recently announced plans to speed up availability using dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) technology from Ericsson that will allow it to deliver both 4G and 5G on the same spectrum band using existing antenna infrastructure.

Vodafone said it expects to have approximately 60 per cent coverage by later 2021.

5G is the next generation of mobile connectivity which succeeds the current 4G and older 3G systems. It brings faster speeds of up to 1Gbit per second, as well as increased security, reliability and lower lag time on data.

Customers need a 5G compatible phone to access the next-generation networks.