Swedish telco Telia is trialing Lithuania’s first 5G standalone (SA) network at the Baltic Sea port of Klaipėda, with the aim of paving the way for rollouts at critical infrastructure sites across the country.
The Klaipėda network has a dedicated core and can therefore function independently of external infrastructure and covers a defined geographic area extending up to 10 kilometres.
Telia says in the trial network security and speeds are both significantly boosted, with latency reduced to less than 10 milliseconds, compared with the 15-18 milliseconds achievable with non-standalone 5G.
“The architecture makes the port’s network more resilient to hybrid threats, while ensuring even faster data transmission," said Giedrė Kaminskaitė-Salters, Head of Telia Lithuania.
"This pilot will allow us to prepare for wider deployment across industries where uninterrupted connectivity is essential. We’re opening a new technological chapter in Lithuania.”
{loadposition stan}
According to Telia, 5G SA can increase the port’s operating efficiency through potential use cases such as smart container identification, coordination of autonomous truck movement between quays and container yards, and remote operation of heavy equipment.
"It also enables network slicing, where capacity is reserved for specific services. The technology can help position Klaipėda as one of the most competitive ports in the Baltic Sea region and attract more cargo from global logistics chains," says Telia.
"In addition, port employees can look forward to retiring their outdated “walkie-talkie” devices in favor of a 5G-based Push-to-Talk (PTT) system, which supports seamless communication via a smartphone app."
Telia says PTT will offer improved audio quality, wider coverage and separate channels for each port division, and the system will function even during external network outages.
“Klaipėda is already among the most digitally advanced Baltic ports. Testing a private 5G network is another strategic step forward," said Algis Latakas, Director General of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.
"It maximises data security and makes advanced automation possible, while laying the foundation for future smart port infrastructure solutions.”
According to performance testing service Ookla, only 10% of mobile operators worldwide have currently deployed commercial 5G SA networks.