Deutsche Telekom starts 5G rollout in Germany
July 3, 2019
Deutsche Telekom has kicked off the network rollout for 5G in Germany. By the end of the year, some 300 5G antennas in more than 100 locations will be built and brought online, the telco has declared.
The rollout is starting in six German cities: first, Berlin and Bonn, to be followed by Darmstadt, Hamburg, Leipzig, and Munich. In the upcoming 18 months, the 20 largest cities in Germany will all be connected with 5G. =
“We punched our ticket for a 5G future with the spectrum auction. Our goal now is to get 5G to the streets, to our customers, as quickly as possible. Nearly three-quarters of our antenna locations in Germany are connected with optical fiber – we’re now building on that,” said Dirk Wössner, Member of the Board of Management, Deutsche Telekom, and Managing Director, Telekom Deutschland GmbH. “Our teams are working hard in every area. Whether we’re talking about the network, rate plans, or devices and applications – we’re speeding up to get 5G started this year. At the same time, we need a clear regulatory framework and pragmatism from the authorities – particularly when it comes to questions regarding regional spectrum, local roaming, allocation of the auction proceeds, and the approval procedures – which takes far too long in Germany.”
In the mobile network, 5G is coming in addition to the concurrent LTE build-out. Wössner added: “5G is the future. But at the same time, we know we still have to do our homework in our existing network, which is why the LTE build-out is still a major focus. We plan to build around 2,000 new mobile base stations this year alone. A particular aim is to eliminate white spots in rural areas.”
In parallel, Deutsche Telekom is working on 5G campus networks, together with industrial users. In this approach, the network build-out follows the specific needs of business customers. ”
We’re already working on the 5G network with Osram and automotive supplier ZF,” commented Claudia Nemat, Deutsche Telekom Board Member, Technology and Innovation. “Whether mobility concepts in cities, manufacturing in the industry of tomorrow, or virtual reality in the entertainment sector is involved: 5G is the key. And the industry can count on us as a partner in the 5G rollout.”