Famous for being a city of technology and innovation, Eindhoven is set to be one of the first Dutch cities to test 5G technology. Eindhoven’s municipality has made deals with the network providers Vodafone, Ziggo and Ericsson for the test.
Before the test is undertaken, however, health risks have to be ruled out first, in line with the wishes of the House of Representatives. If it is found not to pose any health risks, then the 5G test can go ahead.
This new network would be useful for particular organisations, namely hospitals, large-scale music venues and the Philips Stadium. The Catharina Hospital has already conveyed that they are interested in making use of the 5G test. The fast 5G connections would be extremely valuable for ambulance journeys, allowing hospitals to offer better remote assistance and therefore greater ease in diagnosing and preparing emergency patients for necessary treatments.
At the Philips Stadium, 5G 360-degree cameras can be utilised to test the performance of the football players. Meanwhile, Eindhoven’s prestigious music venue Effenaar is forging plans to utilise 5G technology for superior streaming, to help people “virtually” attend music concerts.
For the ordinary everyday user, 5G would mean downloading everything more quickly on your mobile phone or computer, making day-to-day internet use more efficient.
The Eindhoven councillor for Economy, Brainport, Education and Innovation, Stijn Steenbakkers: “As a high-tech society, we are convinced 5G technology will make a valuable contribution to our society. This is why we voiced our ambition of a regional-wide 5G pilot project to the National Government in the Brainport National Action Agenda.
To make use of the 5G networks, users, like businesses in designated areas of Eindhoven during the test period, must be using 3,5 GHz frequency.
The introduction of this 5G network test was initiated by the Brainport Action Agenda, which is a set of action plans devised to make the high-tech business environment of Eindhoven even stronger than it already is.