For 5G to be successful, the whole telecom industry has to re-evaluate how networks work and are developed. Multiple challenges, both political and technical, have to be overcome before the technology can become a reality.
Connected cars are big at this year's Cebit trade show, with driverless cars and products to communicate with the vehicle' onboard computers on display, but cooler apps are needed for the sector to really take off.
Tests of carrier aggregation, a technology that will help increase the speeds of LTE networks, have been a positive surprise, but another technology called small cells needs to become more mature before it can help offload mobile networks, according to two executives at Vodafone Germany.
Vodafone Germany will attempt to simplify encrypting mobile phone calls with its upcoming Secure Call app, which it plans to launch for Android, iOS and Windows Phone devices.
The European Patent Office (EPO) has upheld a narrowed version of a patent on 3G technology at the heart of several legal disputes in Germany, an EPO spokesman said Thursday.
Vodafone has developed an intelligent parking guidance system called MyPark Space, which keeps track of available parking spots via M2M communication.
Vodafone Germany is preparing to use LTE (Long Term Evolution) to enhance TV services, while the arrival of smartphones and tablets from Samsung and HTC in the beginning of next year will help the technology take off in Europe.