“Today is an important day, not just for Melita, but also for Malta as it becomes one of the first countries in the world to have nationwide 5G coverage,” said Melita CEO, Harald Roesch, at the launch of Melita’s nationwide 5G network.

“It is also the latest in a series of steps which Melita has taken over the past few years to ensure we can deliver the best possible connectivity and services to all our residential and business customers,” Mr Roesch added.

The launch of 5G will greatly increase the capacity of Melita’s mobile network, the company said, granting access to those customers on an Endless Mobile plan, a new Business 5G mobile plan or a 5G enabled device.

This means that many more devices will be able to connect to the network simultaneously while also delivering faster speeds and quicker response times. This will result in a better, more seamless experience for customers while opening up the opportunity for new technologies and services to be developed, including the accelerated expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT).

Minister for the Economy and Industry, Silvio Schembri, who inaugurated the 5G launch, said:

“Today marks a remarkable milestone in Malta’s telecommunications history now that a service provider has officially embarked on the fifth generation, 5G. As Malta now proceeds with its economic recovery, the timing of Melita’s 5G launch continues to instil confidence as we look towards a brighter future.

“Melita is first in bringing 5G nationwide coverage to Malta. 5G has the potential to be a game-changer. 5G will provide up to ten times faster connectivity to millions of devices, from smart wearables to connected buses and cars, from parking sensors to drones, from intelligent traffic systems to remote surgery. As a Government, we will remain committed to establishing Malta as a leader in innovative technologies and services.”

In view of concerns in relation to 5G, Minister Schembri said that in line with the constant guidance provided by European Institutions, this technology will bring negligible changes in emission levels when compared to existing networks, levels which themselves are only a small fraction of the guidelines established by the ICNIRP, the international organisation which is formally recognised by the World Health Organisation.

“The Malta Communications Authority has been working tirelessly to prime its regulatory framework for the introduction of state-of-the-art services such as 5G”, remarked Minister Schembri.