Austria’s 5G leadership race is now on – at least according to operator Hutchison Drei. The Austrian mobile operator claims to be the first in the country to launch a “true” 5G network as well as being the first operator within the international Three group owned by CK Hutchison to roll out the next-generation mobile service.

Although Deutsche Telekom’s Magenta Telekom (formerly T-Mobile Austria) recently unveiled “5G ready” rate plans providing what it described as an “early taste” of future 5G offers, Hutchison Drei said it is providing “real 5G” instead of merely 5G ready.

The carrier’s efforts are initially focused in the city of Linz. Hutchison Drei has upgraded 20 base stations with 5G equipment and said it will provide full coverage in the city and other regions in Austria by the end of the year.

Hutchison Drei CEO Jan Trionow said: “Other vendors are just ‘5G ready’ or have upgraded individual transmission masts across Austria. Today we are launching the first true contiguous 5G network that is worthy of the name. While the others only talk about the future, in Linz it is already a reality today. The race for the 5G leadership in Austria is officially open.”

China-based vendor ZTE said it’s working with Hutchison Drei on the 5G deployment. That work comes under the ongoing cloud of international intrigue hanging over the vendor and its country-mate Huawei.

It should also be noted that Hutchison Drei’s initial service is limited to enterprise customers with Ars Electronica Center named as one of the first such customers for the 5G service. Commercial services are expected to be launched later in 2019 once a sufficient number of locations are connected to the 5G network. In the meantime, a number of customers are taking part in a 5G pilot using special SIM cards and routers.

In a clear swipe at Drei’s rivals, Trionow said offering general “5G ready” rate plans “without providing appropriate 5G network coverage and 5G capable devices “raises false expectations for customers. We are putting our money into network construction and the development of real applications rather than empty advertising campaigns,” he said.

In terms of 5G plans by other operators, A1 Telekom Austria chose longstanding technology partner Nokia to build its 5G network and has already announced that Gmünd is the first city where it is rolling out 5G. It is already heavily advertising the “5Giganetz” – which is a combination of fiber and 5G technology.