Orange Romania and its partners Samsung and Cisco carry out in Romania the first European test of the 5G multi-vendor Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) in real environment conditions.

The test, taking place between June 1 and July 16 in Floresti, a commune in Cluj county, is a very important step in understanding the capabilities of the 5G technology in the context of European market development, Orange said in a press release.

A total of 15 residential customers were selected for the test, having the chance to experience the new technology in their own homes. This was possible with the help of Samsung 5G terminals placed alternately both inside and outside the buildings, which transmitted the 5G signal to the CISCO Wi-Fi routers. To test network capacity under real-world usage, the customers were encouraged to simultaneously use apps that require significant resources, such as 4K videos or cloud gaming.

Moreover, 5G terminals were also installed in the Carrefour Market store in Floresti and in the City Hall’s building, in a move to validate the new technology for business or public sector clients.

The test in Floresti paves the way for the future 5G network, which promises high speeds, unlimited access to various wireless technologies and very low delays, but also increased operational efficiency, simultaneous connection of a large number of devices, and flexibility for future integrations, according to Orange.

Orange is the biggest telecom operator in Romania, serving more than 10 million clients. Its turnover increased by 11% in the first quarter of 2018, to EUR 270 million.

Orange prepares to launch 5G in Romania

Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com