29.11.2019
- The Include smart bench is connected to the next-generation HT 5G test network
- The smart bench will also be the first free 5G hotspot in Croatia
- HT continues to connect citizens with the opportunities of new advanced technology
Boris Drilo and Ivan Mrvoš
Thanks to the cooperation of Hrvatski Telekom with the Croatian company Include, the first 5G smart bench was exclusively presented today in front of the HT headquarters in Zagreb. It is one of the most advanced smart benches on the market, Monna City, with which the Solin-based company is currently winning markets worldwide.
The first 5G smart bench enables citizens to connect to the internet free of charge via Hrvatski Telekom's 5G technology in the very heart of Zagreb, allowing them to try out all the benefits of a new generation network. In addition to solar power and night lighting, this smart bench has many additional features such as charging electric bikes, monitoring public areas through advanced cameras and digital advertising via LCDs.
“We are extremely pleased to have upgraded our product with 5G technology, which will be the new standard of connectivity worldwide in a few years. We are proud that Hrvatski Telekom has recognized our smart benches as a value-added product in times of rapid technological change. The incorporation of 5G technology will give our smart bench an added edge in the global market, and I am happy that all our advanced bench functionality will be tested first by our fellow citizens,” said Ivan Mrvoš, Include founder and CEO.
Thanks to Hrvatski Telekom's network infrastructure, the smart bench has been upgraded and connected to the test 5G network using the radio frequency spectrum allocated for technical and market testing, which will allow its advanced functions to work even faster and more fluidly. It is the development of 5G technology that is one of the critical preconditions for creating smart solutions that open up new development potentials for Croatian cities. Hrvatski Telekom is the first in Croatia and among the first in Europe to implement 5G technology, thus creating the preconditions for faster economic development and a better quality of life.
“At Hrvatski Telekom, we see our role in society very clearly. We want to connect all citizens with the opportunities of the new advanced technology so that we can all live better today and enable Croatian companies to lead the development of advanced digital services around the world. The 5G smart bench is a unique Croatian product, and we believe that our cooperation will help Include in further successful positioning in the market,” said Boris Drilo, Management Board Member and Chief Technical and Chief Information Officer of Hrvatski Telekom.
Last year, the Croatian company Include was named the fastest growing Central European company in the “Rising Stars” category by Deloitte. In just three years, the company has successfully installed more than 1,250 Steora smart benches on 49 global markets in more than 260 cities, making it one of the best smart street furniture manufacturers in Europe. In 2018 alone, 1.5 million users used the Wi-Fi system via smart benches, and more than 250,000 used smartphone charging.