Vodafone’s German unit completed the nationwide rollout of its standalone (SA) 5G network, promoting the technology as providing higher quality connectivity for applications including mobile gaming and augmented reality (AR).

The network covers 90 per cent of the country’s population, it noted, with the company having upgraded more than 16,000 mobile masts to support what it brands as 5G+. To access the network users require a supporting handset.

Vodafone claimed use of 5G which doesn’t have to “resort to the previous LTE technology” would allow users to enjoy “lag-free” mobile gaming and high-resolution virtual reality and AR applications.

The operator asserted the high bandwidth and latency times of less than 10 milliseconds offered meant data transferred “as quickly as the human nervous system” and “can react and four times faster” than previous mobile communications technologies, as it highlighted opportunities around Industry 4.0.

Vodafone Germany CEO Marcel de Groot (pictured) added SA 5G “brings higher bandwidths, shorter response times and connects up to ten times more sensors”.

The operator switched-on its first commercial SA 5G sites in 2021 and had originally targeted 2023 for deployment across its footprint.

All of Vodafone’s mobile masts will continue to employ a “mixed mode” mechanism to enable simultaneous SA 5G and the non-standalone variant.