Vodafone has carried out the "first" European test for advanced 5G.
The tests were carried out in the Spanish city of Ciudad Real and Hannover, Germany.
The speeds were boosted by 35 per cent to 54 per cent, with accelerated upload speeds of up to 273Mbps.
Alberto Ripepi, Chief Network Officer of Vodafone, said: “We want our customers to be among the first anywhere in the world to benefit from this new 5G feature when it becomes available. That’s why we are working with key partners to lead the industry in pulling together and testing the necessary network, silicon chips and devices to turn it into a reality, all while driving a stronger vendor and developer ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, as part of a planned merger with Three UK, Vodafone has vowed to provide 99 per cent of UK residents with its 5G SA network by 2034.
In other Vodafone-related news, the firm has teamed up with Microsoft for a $1.5 billion AI deal.
The telecommunications company will be working with tech giant Microsoft in what has been called a "strategic" move, using artificial intelligence to "transform " customer experience.
Margherita Della Valle, Vodafone Group chief executive, said: “Today, Vodafone has made a bold commitment to the digital future of Europe and Africa. This unique strategic partnership with Microsoft will accelerate the digital transformation of our business customers, particularly small and medium-sized companies, and step up the quality of customer experience for consumers.”
Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft, said the company was "delighted" at the news
He said: "This new generation of AI will unlock massive new opportunities for every organization and every industry around the world. We are delighted that together with Vodafone we will apply the latest cloud and AI technology to enhance the customer experience of hundreds of millions of people and businesses across Africa and Europe, build new products and services, and accelerate the company’s transition to the cloud."
