Via Baltica to receive uninterrupted 5G coverage

TALLINN - Led by Telia Estonia, partners of the 5G-BALTICS project from the three Baltic states convened in Tallinn to review the progress of establishing 5G infrastructure along the Via Baltica transport corridor and to plan the next phases.

Following an extensive planning and preparation phase, the project in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania is now entering the practical implementation stage, with construction work already underway in several regions.

The project aims to provide uninterrupted 5G coverage along the entire 663-kilometer Via Baltica transport corridor, from Tallinn to the Lithuanian-Polish border. The establishment of this unified digital corridor will enhance cross-border digital connectivity and network reliability among the three Baltic states, pave the way for new digital services, and support regional economic development.

In August, following a detailed planning and design phase, Latvian company Tet began constructing a fiber-optic communication network along the Via Baltica route. The work is being carried out in five sections, employing technical solutions best suited to local conditions. In total, 180 kilometers of high-capacity communication infrastructure will be built in Latvia.

In Estonia, construction of the fiber-optic network and 5G masts has commenced in multiple locations. Concurrently, preparations are underway for the deployment of active 5G network equipment.

In Lithuania, work is ongoing to achieve the project's two primary infrastructure objectives: building communication masts with the required electrical connections and rolling out the fiber-optic communication network.

Once construction and setup are complete, the project will move into its next crucial phase: the practical testing of the 5G network, currently scheduled for 2027.

During the testing phase, project partners will evaluate the network's performance, connection stability, and service quality across the entire transport corridor, with a special focus on cross-border areas. The tests will include assessing the network's performance with everyday digital services, such as music and video streaming, participating in online meetings, using navigation apps, and playing online games.

5G-BALTICS (uninterrupted 5G coverage across the entire Via Baltica corridor) is a Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) project aimed at establishing seamless 5G coverage along the Via Baltica transport corridor in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The project (No. 101181148) is implemented with the support of the European Union (EU).