Vodafone Ireland has become the first telecoms operator in Ireland to launch its 5G network, beginning with Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.
Vodafone’s 5G network consists of fully standardised Ericsson 5G, which is being deployed over Vodafone Ireland’s recently acquired 5G spectrum.
Vodafone bill pay customers have the option of purchasing a Huawei Mate 20X 5G in retail stores or online from tomorrow, August 14, or can pre-register for a Samsung Galaxy S10 5G, which is available to buy from August 30.
According to Vodafone, besides a 5G handset customers require a 5G ready plan to avail of the service. The company says its consumer RED Complete plans and RED Business plans are 5G ready. These cost from €25 per month for SIM only and from €40 euro per month with a handset.
• Details on Vodafone consumer 5G are available here
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• Details on Vodafone business 5G are available here
Anne O’Leary, CEO of Vodafone Ireland, commented: “This is truly a historic occasion for everyone at Vodafone. As a business, we have spent the last 18 months preparing the groundwork for the launch of Ireland’s first commercial 5G network and today we begin our switch-on in locations in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford.
“5G will bring high speed, ultra-low latency and highly secure connectivity to a massive amount of devices; and is a technology that will unlock a vast array of new use cases through Vodafone’s next-generation network."
To mark the occasion, Vodafone also announced a strategic partnership with the ASSERT Centre in UCC, making it the first 5G connected telemedicine and medical robotics training centre in the world.
The Centre showcases real-time monitoring, telemedicine, and robotic surgery, integrated with wearable IoMT-based devices.
The ASSERT/ Vodafone partnership will create a 5G incubator for the medtech sector to test new technologies, assess 5G functionality and roll out to clinical trials.
Photo: Anne O’Leary, pictured with Professor Barry O’Reilly, director of ASSERT at University College Cork. (Pix: Naoise Culhane)
