DNA’s 5G network already covers over five million people

The new 5G network in the South Ostrobothnian municipalities of Karijoki and Lappajärvi currently covers downtown areas. Construction of the 5G network continues and is also expanding into new areas in South Ostrobothnia. Similarly, in the Satakunta municipality of Pomarkku, the 5G network covers the downtown area, and construction of the network continues.

Construction of DNA’s 5G network began in cities and growth centres and has expanded from there into towns, villages and, more recently, sparsely populated areas.

“Construction of the network has gone according to plan, and our 5G network now covers more than five million Finns. As we near the end of 2023, 5G network construction efforts will be increasingly shifting away from towns and villages and into sparsely populated areas. Construction in sparsely populated areas will continue to prioritise areas of high traffic where the 4G network sees the most use. It is important to ensure that high-quality mobile connections are available wherever people are – including areas that aren’t densely populated”, says DNA’s VP of Radio Networks Jarkko Laari.

“Although the pace of construction is unchanged, the growth in population coverage will slow as work shifts more and more into less densely populated areas. Nonetheless, we expect our 5G network to achieve near 100 per cent population coverage in mainland Finland within a short number of years”, Laari continues.

The mobile communication network covering Northern and Eastern Finland is planned, implemented and maintained by the Finnish Shared Network, a joint network company established by DNA and Telia in 2014. Currently, the Finnish Shared Network is continuing to expand the 5G networks in Kuopio, Lapinlahti and Siilinjärvi. It is also building 5G networks in Kemi, Keminmaa, Simo and Tornio.

The 4G network is also improving – check the status of your municipality on the coverage map

DNA has been building a 5G network that can operate mainly either in the lower 700-megahertz or higher 3.5-gigahertz frequency bands around Finland. Lower frequencies offer a fast connection that is more than sufficient for normal Internet use and allow the network to cover a large area with good indoor coverage. The reach of this kind of a 5G network is typically several kilometres from the base station, depending on the terrain. Higher frequencies, on the other hand, offer gigabit-class connection speeds with minimal delay over a smaller coverage area. Lower frequencies are typically used in rural areas and less densely populated urban areas, whereas higher frequencies are used in more densely populated urban areas.

The construction of the 5G network also has the effect of updating the entire mobile network, as it requires old base stations to be replaced with new ones. This means faster 4G speeds and an improved user experience in the areas where the network is being modernised. In many cases, 5G also offers an excellent alternative to fixed-network broadband at home, so the completion of the network boosts the area’s competitiveness and expands consumers’ options for Internet services. A suitable device and subscription are needed to use 5G services.

Check the exact state of the mobile network in your area on DNA’s coverage map at www.dna.fi/5G. The map shows the theoretical maximum speed and frequency bands of the 4G or 5G network in the selected location. More than one frequency may be used in the same area, and your mobile device will usually select the best option automatically. You can also check the map to see current network improvement projects. The map is updated at a slight delay, so the latest updates may not yet be visible.

Also, DNA will shut down its 3G network completely between October 2023 and January 2024. As old technology gets discontinued, frequency bands will be freed up for 4G and 5G connections.