Telia Collaborated with Ericsson to Achieve 99% 5G Coverage in Lithuania

Between 2021 and 2023, Telia Lithuania successfully modernized its network using Ericsson’s cutting-edge wireless access network (RAN) equipment. This collaboration enables Telia to establish an advanced 5G network covering the entire country at frequencies of 3.5GHz and 700MHz, ensuring high-speed data availability throughout Lithuania. The seamless integration of Ericsson’s most advanced technology demonstrates Telia’s commitment to providing high-quality service to customers. This comprehensive network upgrade includes the introduction of ultra high-speed communication base stations at existing sites, paving the way for future development and innovation.
Ericsson’s 5G large-scale MIMO radio has played an important role in this achievement. The Antenna Integrated Radio (AIR) solution, especially the AIR 3268, has a smaller and lighter design, providing higher bandwidth and capacity, enabling Telia to provide lightning fast and reliable 5G connections throughout the country. The efficiency of Ericsson AIR 3268 is in line with Telia’s goal of achieving zero carbon dioxide emissions from operations by 2030 and is an important component of its sustainable development commitment.

By achieving nationwide coverage in a record time, Lithuania has set new standards for global 5G deployment and consolidated its prominent position on the global stage. In addition, this milestone plays a key role in the development of a more sustainable digital economy, and the energy efficiency of the network is about 10 times higher than that of previous generations of Mobile technology.
Daniel Ode, Acting Director of Ericsson’s Nordic and Central European Customer Department, said, “Our large-scale MIMO technology provides communication service providers with greater IF bandwidth, providing a powerful 5G experience nationwide. This lays the foundation for an exciting journey to unleash advanced 5G capabilities, which will benefit every corner of the country, including the most remote areas. It also provides additional capabilities to meet the growing needs of enterprises across Lithuania, enabling them to conduct business in any geographical region. This development has the potential to attract investors and technology developers, driving economic growth and prosperity. Telia and Ericsson will jointly shape the future driven by the power of 5G transformation.”

Lithuania’s 5G development has achieved extraordinary success in a very short period of time. After negotiations on 5G frequency, Lithuania was the last European country to join the 5G trend, and its authorities officially launched 5G only in the autumn of 2022. Despite facing various challenges, Telia still collaborated with Ericsson and completed the project ahead of schedule without any service interruption.
The impact of this achievement goes beyond high-quality service. It drives Lithuania’s economic growth by attracting investors and realizes various applications, including fixed wireless access, enhanced workspace, immersive reality experience, and the potential for automatic delivery. Industries such as transportation, healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing will benefit from the groundbreaking power of 5G.