Telia is set to trial Lithuania’s first 5G standalone (SA) network at the Baltic Sea port of Klaipėda. The tests will enable the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority and companies operating in the port to experience the advantages of a private 5G network, while paving the way for rollouts at critical infrastructure sites across the country.
Thanks to a dedicated core, the Klaipėda network can function independently of external infrastructure and covers a defined geographic area extending up to 10 kilometers. As a result, security and speeds are both significantly boosted – for example, latency can be reduced to less than 10 milliseconds, compared with the 15-18 milliseconds achievable with non-standalone 5G.
Giedrė Kaminskaitė-Salters, Head of Telia Lithuania: “The architecture makes the port’s network more resilient to hybrid threats, while ensuring even faster data transmission. This pilot will allow us to prepare for wider deployment across industries where uninterrupted connectivity is essential. We’re opening a new technological chapter in Lithuania.”
5G SA can increase the port’s operating efficiency through potential use cases such as smart container identification, coordination of autonomous truck movement between quays and container yards, and remote operation of heavy equipment. It also enables network slicing, where capacity is reserved for specific services. The technology can help position Klaipėda as one of the most competitive ports in the Baltic Sea region and attract more cargo from global logistics chains.
In addition, port employees can look forward to retiring their outdated “walkie-talkie” devices in favor of a 5G-based Push-to-Talk (PTT) system, which supports seamless communication via a smartphone app. PTT will offer improved audio quality, wider coverage and separate channels for each port division. Crucially, the system will function even during external network outages.
Algis Latakas, Director General of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority: “Klaipėda is already among the most digitally advanced Baltic ports. Testing a private 5G network is another strategic step forward. It maximizes data security and makes advanced automation possible, while laying the foundation for future smart port infrastructure solutions.”
According to Ookla, a global leader in internet performance testing, only 10% of mobile operators worldwide have currently deployed commercial 5G SA networks.
