Dusseldorf: One-third Completed - 50th 5G Lithium-ion Battery Now in Operation
The city of Düsseldorf, Germany, is stepping up its 5G game with innovative technology, replacing conventional mobile sites with 5G-enabled billboards. As of now, there are 50 of these billboards operational, with plans to increase this to 150 across the city. Each billboard, boasting a height of 4.79 meters and a width of 1.62 meters, is equipped with three 5G antennas and all necessary tech, nestled within a basilica-shaped roof and concrete body.
A distinctive feature of these billboards is the bowler-hat-shaped plastic dome on top of the pole. The cutting-edge billboards, pioneered by Düsseldorf Marketing and developed by operator Ilg Outdoor, are the first of their kind worldwide. They facilitate efficient 5G rollout, as finding suitable roof sites for freestanding antennas in urban areas is a daunting task.
mayor Dr. Stephan Keller is thrilled about the 5G billboards and acknowledges that they symbolize how tradition can foster innovation. Keller believes that digital urban development is vital for smart city solutions, stating that it would pave the way for advanced 5G applications. This extensive 5G coverage is deemed essential for creating a successful economic hub.
Ina Scharrenbach, Minister for Home Affairs, Local Government, Building, and Digitalization of North Rhine-Westphalia, echoes the sentiment, stating that Düsseldorf serves as a role model for cities seeking to enhance inner-city mobile network coverage. Scharrenbach believes that innovative solutions, like the introduction of 5G billboards, can help overcome the limitations posed by the scarcity of new antenna spaces in urban centers.
Stephan Schneider, Vodafone Germany’s country representative for North Rhine-Westphalia, sees the 5G billboards as part of a broader strategy to enhance 5G coverage and stability, particularly in high-traffic areas such as pedestrian zones, busy squares, and intersections.
On the European front, Vodafone Group’s reports indicate that as of 2025, 75% of the European population will have access to 5G network coverage, an improvement from 71% in 2024 and 62% in 2023. This trend suggests that urban areas like Düsseldorf have been witnessing significant improvements in 5G availability over the past few years, thanks to ongoing investment and technological development.
To sum it up, Düsseldorf's 5G billboards are revolutionizing the city's digital landscape, driving innovations, and potentially setting a precedent for other cities across Germany and Europe. With the ongoing advancement of technology, urban 5G coverage is expected to see rapid expansion in the coming years.
The 5G billboards in Düsseldorf are equipped with data-and-cloud-computing technology, facilitating efficient 5G rollout and paving the way for advanced applications in smart city solutions. With the installation of these innovative billboards, the city of Düsseldorf is leveraging technology to revolutionize its digital landscape.