Telekom Slovenije and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering showcase 5G at 26 GHz for the first time, achieving a record 2 Gbps uplink speed

Millimetre waves (at the 26 GHz frequency) open a new chapter in connectivity, where uplink data transmission speed plays a key role. This technology, which delivers exceptional capacity and ultra-low latency, is becoming indispensable wherever fast and reliable real-time transmission of large volumes of data is required. Use cases range from professional video production and immersive experiences at major events to advanced industrial environments in which machines, robots and autonomous systems communicate seamlessly.

The achievement of 2 Gbit/s in the uplink direction confirms the long-term strategic partnership between Slovenia’s leading operator and the country’s central educational institution in the fields of electrical engineering, information and communication technologies, and multimedia. Vesna Prodnik, MSc, Member of the Management Board of Telekom Slovenije responsible for technology, emphasised: “At Telekom Slovenije, we are aware that technological leadership cannot be built solely through the purchase of equipment, but above all through investment in knowledge and people. Today’s demonstration proves that Slovenian expertise ranks highly on a global scale. Connecting academia with industry is of strategic importance for Telekom Slovenije in building Slovenia’s digital backbone. Through cooperation in the development of projects with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, we are co-creating an environment in which top-level engineers are shaped. These engineers will drive development at Telekom Slovenije and across the broader Slovenian economy. This is the foundation of our digital sovereignty.”

The 26 GHz frequency band provides exceptional capacity over shorter distances, making it ideal for private mobile networks in industry and for environments where a very high concentration of people and devices is present within a limited area.

Matjaž Beričič, MSc, Director of Network and Infrastructure at Telekom Slovenije, added: “We have demonstrated that Telekom Slovenije’s mobile network can support uplink speeds of 2 Gbps and above, and that it is ready for the most demanding usage scenarios. The 26 GHz frequency band allows us to deliver extremely high data transmission speeds in both directions and ultra-low latency within a confined area, which is essential for robot control, real-time video analytics or wireless transmission of premium 4K and 8K video. This further strengthens our position as the best and most reliable network in Slovenia, as also confirmed by independent measurements.”

The practical demonstration was carried out at LMMFE and LTFE, where technologies of the future are tested by students and researchers of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, in cooperation with partners.

Professor Matevž Pogačnik, PhD, Head of the Multimedia Laboratory at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, stated: “As part of our research into modern multimedia technologies, we have, in cooperation with Telekom Slovenije, established an innovative technological setup that supports the transmission of production-quality audio-visual content over a 5G network. This represents a significant breakthrough in modern media production, as the solution allows reliable transmission of extremely high bitrates with low latency over IP networks, which is crucial for real-time production. The technology opens up new possibilities for flexible field production, live events and demanding production environments. Such achievements confirm the role of our engineers and research laboratories as important drivers of innovation in multimedia technologies and telecommunications.”

Professor Andrej Kos, PhD, Head of the Telecommunications Laboratory at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, added: “The demonstration of production-quality video transmission over a 5G mobile network in the 26 GHz frequency band confirms that the Faculty of Electrical Engineering is helping to shape the future of telecommunications and multimedia, while also pushing the performance limits of modern mobile networks. At LTFE, we have for many years been developing and testing solutions that provide the industry with the highest-performance connectivity and ensure the cybersecurity of information and communication systems. We are pleased to create such interdisciplinary breakthrough achievements together with Telekom Slovenije and transfer them directly into real-world applications as well as into the education of engineers who will shape our future.” 

The practical demonstration and system presentation clearly indicate the need for new skills among engineers in electrical engineering, ICT and multimedia, which are essential for integrating new and rapidly evolving technologies. At UL FEE, the necessary knowledge is already provided to new generations of students through regular study programmes. Those who have already completed their studies can acquire new skills through lifelong learning and micro-credentials offered by UL FEE and the ICT Academy (www.ict-academy.si).

26 GHz in practice 

With this achievement, Telekom Slovenije follows global trends and opens the door to new use cases:
•    Professional video production and broadcasting: high uplink speeds allow wireless transmission of 4K/8K video directly from cameras to the control room, without outdoor broadcast vehicles or cables, virtually from anywhere.
•    Major events and venues: at stadiums, major events and concerts, 5G in the 26 GHz band provides additional capacity, ensuring seamless content sharing for thousands of visitors simultaneously.
•    Industry 4.0 and logistics: in smart factories, it supports robot control and autonomous transport systems with ultra-low latency, as well as real-time video monitoring of production processes.
•    Business-critical infrastructure (Mobile SD-WAN): serves as an ultra-high-performance backup connection for companies, providing a path for data traffic in the event of a physical cable failure and ensuring uninterrupted business continuity.
•    Fixed Wireless Access (FWA): gigabit-class “fibre optics over the air” for business zones and rural areas where laying fibre-optic cables is challenging but line-of-sight to a base station is available.
•    The future of entertainment (XR): support for augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) and cloud gaming without latency.

 

About Telekom Slovenije
Telekom Slovenije is a key player in the digitalisation of Slovenia, providing a reliable fixed and mobile network, state-of-the-art information and communication services, and is one of the leading providers of cybersecurity resilience solutions in Southeastern Europe. More than 200,000 broadband and TV service users and more than 1,000,000 mobile service users trust Telekom Slovenije, and appreciate its excellent user experience, reliability, and security. This brings Telekom Slovenije a 28.6% market share (source: AKOS, Q2 2025) in broadband connections and 36.5% (source: AKOS, Q2 2025) in mobile telephony. Telekom Slovenije’s cutting-edge and extensive fibre optics network reaches nearly half a million households in Slovenia. The 5G mobile network is available to 99% of the population by the end of 2025. Over the past ten years, Telekom Slovenije has invested more than EUR 680 million in the development and maintenance of its fixed and mobile networks. The company provides top-tier services that align with users' needs and expectations, offering an excellent price/performance ratio. Users rate Telekom Slovenije's network as the best in Slovenia. (Source: Brand Track, Autumn 2025). More at www.telekom.si. 

About the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana
The primary mission of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana is the education of electrical engineers. However, electrical engineering has long since evolved beyond a discipline concerned solely with electric current and voltage. Its fields span a wide spectrum of natural sciences, ranging from electronics and power electronics to telecommunications and automation, and extending into medicine. What all these fields have in common is their strong integration with computer science and informatics, state-of-the-art communications, the use of the internet and multimedia solutions. 
At undergraduate level, the Faculty offers both a university study programme and a professional higher education programme (first-cycle Bologna degree). Upon completion of undergraduate studies, graduates may continue their education at postgraduate level through a master’s programme (second-cycle Bologna degree) and a doctoral programme (third-cycle Bologna degree). In addition to these forms of formal education, the Faculty also provides professional development and supplementary education for specialists from various technical fields. For this purpose, it organises and delivers short, intensive seminars lasting several days. Particular emphasis is placed on the education of young researchers, who, under the mentorship of university professors, are gradually introduced to research and teaching activities.
To date, more than 13,000 engineers have completed undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. Postgraduate studies have been successfully completed by more than 1,168 master’s degree holders and 749 doctors of science. Each year, approximately 500 students enrol in the first year across all study programmes.