SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM) today announced that it will provide its 5G repeaters to support Deutsche Telekom’s customer trial for 5G indoor coverage in Germany.

Deutsche Telekom, the largest telecommunications provider in Europe, has commercialized 5G service in eight German cities including Berlin, Bonn and Frankfurt.

For the trial, SK Telecom will provide 5G repeaters that ensure optimum 5G indoor coverage. The role of repeaters, devices that amplify radio frequency signals, is highlighted in the 5G era as 5G communication often involves the use of higher frequency bands (or millimeter bands), which generate signals that are often too weak to penetrate buildings. SK Telecom’s 5G repeater is also designed to support LTE (4G) signals.

Deutsche Telekom plans to launch the customer trial in the second quarter of this year. Up to 200 testers – both enterprise and individual customers – will participate in the trial. Starting today, Deutsche Telekom’s customers can apply for the trial, which will be offered free of charge.

Going forward, SK Telecom and Deutsche Telekom will analyze customer feedback gained through the trial and discuss plans for further optimization of the 5G repeater with the aim to launch the device in Germany.

“As strategic partners, SK Telecom and Deutsche Telekom have been working together to drive innovations in diverse areas including 5G. Today’s announcement marks the latest achievement of this close collaboration,” said Ha Hyung-il, Vice President and Head of Corporate Center 2 at SK Telecom. “Through the successful implementation of the customer trial for 5G repeater, we hope to further improve the experience of Deutsche Telekom customers and strengthen the two companies’ leadership in 5G”

"Especially for our smaller business customers, it is a great opportunity to equip their premises with fast mobile communications. It allows them and their customers to benefit from the new opportunities offered by 5G," says Hagen Rickmann, Managing Director Business Customers of Deutsche Telekom in Germany.