Orange Spain has been the first operator that has finally decided to launch the 5G SA (Stand Alone) network in Spainwhich implies the arrival of 5G+. For now, Orange’s 5G+ will be available in four Spanish cities, but the operator has already confirmed that it will be rolled out to more locations throughout 2023.
For now, therefore, Orange’s 5G+ will reach Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and Valencia, cities that will have 90% coverage for this new service, free for Orange subscribers. To enjoy this network, you only need to have a smartphone compatible with it.
5G SA technology offers many advantages, including better indoor coverage, thanks to the fact that it uses native 5G bands. In addition, it offers low latency, just what services such as online gaming or streaming need, to play without skips or delays. In addition, it allows the battery of smartphones to last longer, due to the fact that they need less signal, and the network functions deployed, which allow greater energy efficiency to be achieved.
With 5G SA technology you can also have more devices connected at the same time. In effect, it will be possible to reach up to a million connections per square kilometer, ten times more than with existing technologies today. Orange also offers greater security in its 5G+ network, since among other advanced security mechanisms, it includes IMSI encryption. For the launch, Orange has several network providers: Ericsson, Nokia and Oracle Communications.
Orange was one of the pioneers in the development of 5G SA, and already in April 2019 announced the first voice and data calls made in Europe with it. In addition, it has carried out various pilot tests with 5G SA to explore its possibilities both in industry and in the business world, working on use cases ranging from port logistics to remote health care, including the education and precision agriculture.
From 2016 to December 2022, the operator has invested 531 million euros in the purchase of 5G frequencies in all bands. In addition, it is the operator that has more spectrum in the 3.5 GHz banda priority for the offer of higher speeds in 5G.
