Vantage Towers, TOTEM, Orange, O2 Telefónica and the Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar), announce a pioneering collaboration to create one of Europe's first cross-border 5G highway corridors.
This ambitious project, named "5G Autobahn to Autoroute" (5G A2A), will connect the cities of Metz in France to Saarbrücken in Germany, covering a 60-kilometer stretch. Construction will begin in early 2025 with completion scheduled for the end of 2027.
Click here to watch images of the project.
Cutting-edge infrastructure for connected mobility:
The deployment of this latest generation 5G infrastructure goes well beyond national coverage obligations. It will enable the development of innovative mobility services, including:
Cooperative lane changing
Collision anticipation and prevention
Automatic traffic jam alerts
Testing of (partially) autonomous vehicles
This deployment will improve 5G connectivity for cross-border travelers, while enabling innovative industrial trials of connectivity along the entire route.
A european-scale project:
This highway corridor includes:
A 55 km section in France along the A4 and A320 motorways;
A 5 km section in Germany along the A6 motorway.
This infrastructure is fully integrated into the ATLANTIC trans-European transport network, ensuring uninterrupted 5G connectivity along the entire route.
A unique international collaboration:
In France, TOTEM and Orange will install nine new masts and upgrade up to eight existing masts to ensure dedicated 5G coverage on the 3.5 GHz frequency. In Germany, Vantage Towers and O2 Telefónica will deploy up to five radio masts using a distributed antenna system (DAS) on the 3.6 GHz frequency.
A sustainable commitment:
The infrastructure is designed to operate for at least ten years, demonstrating the partners' long-term commitment to sustainable cross-border digital connectivity. This project receives financial support from the European Union under the "Connecting Europe Facility Digital" program and is supported by the Grand Est Region in France.
Expert perspectives:
Christian Hillabrant, CEO of Vantage Towers: "With the establishment of the Franco-German mobile communications corridor, we are advancing digital transformation in Europe. Together with our project partners Telefónica, Orange, TOTEM and htw saar, we are creating infrastructure that enables uninterrupted cross-border connectivity and, in the future, the use of advanced mobility applications such as autonomous driving functions - setting new standards for digital connectivity."
Nicolas Roy, CEO of TOTEM: "This project is a great proof of cooperation between towercos and mobile operators to provide latest-generation 5G mobile network between Metz and Saarbrücken. This project relies on each actor's cutting-edge industrial expertise, dedicated to providing better connectivity for all along the way. With this project, TOTEM demonstrates its teams' ability to deploy bespoke and specific infrastructure solutions in a cross-border environment."
Thierry Marigny, Director Orange Grand Est Region, Eastern France: “Orange is proud to be involved in the deployment of the first next-generation 5G corridor between Metz and Saarbrücken. This pioneering project will make this cross-border route the first in Europe to enable the use of connected vehicles and equipment. In future, users of this route will benefit from driver assistance services to enhance their comfort and safety in their connected vehicles”.
Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Enterprise Officer of O2 Telefónica: “We are building a high-speed 5G highway to test how to provide consumers and companies with gigabit speeds in the best possible way while driving. This can be a major step towards making connected driving a reality in Germany. We are looking forward to be partnering with the automotive and logistics industries to implement and test digital networking solutions of the future based on our high-performance 5G network. The project is a prime example of how digitalization in Europe must not stop at borders.”
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Horst Wieker, Leader ITS Research Group of htw saar: “The project is an integral part of the htw saar's ongoing efforts to increase the safety of connected vehicles and to realize automated driving in cross-border traffic. The htw saar is proud to be able to support the transition from research to live operation with its renowned partners, to implement innovative applications, and to evaluate the project scientifically.”
