Euskaltel launches 5G/WiFi 6-based broadband to extend reach of fibre net

MásMóvil-owned northern Spanish cable operator Euskaltel has launched a new broadband offering using a combination of 5G and WiFi 6 to deliver services to areas not covered by its fixed network.

The new offering, Hegan, is said to deliver broadband speeds of up to 600Mbps and will enable Euskaltel to provide broadband coverage to 98% of households in its home territory of the Basque Country.

According to MásMóvil, Hegan will deliver highs-peed broadband to around 40,000 additional homes in total, including 23,000 in the Basque Country proper and 17,000 in neighbouring Navarre. The service is available via a self-install router.

MásMóvil said that Hegan represented a ‘revolutionary’ way to reach homes that are outside the coverage area of fibre networks. The combination of 5G and WiFi 6 enables the operator to provide a service that can deliver high-s0peed internet to multipe devices in rthe home via a single router with low latency, enabling consumers to surf the web, stream video, and engage in video-conferencing and other bandwidth-heavy activities.

Fibre investment

Euskaltel is investing €350 million in upgrading its network over three years, including €150 million spent over the last year. Some 85% of homes are currently passed by fibre, and the operator plans to pass 1.3 million homes by the time the investment is complete.

“We are continuing to work tirelessly to improve the quality of life of our customers through delivering the best networks, offering innovative solutions that reduce the digital divide and promote the inclusion of all Basques in the digital universe. Wikth the launch of Hegan, the company ius reinforcing its position as market leader in telecommunications in the Basque Country and firms up its position as pioneer in the rollout of technologies that improve connectivity across the entire region,” said Jon Ander de Las Fuentes, CEO of Euskaltel.