Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica and Vodafone have announced a partnership to build 6,000 mobile sites to improve broadband coverage. The three major operators in Germany will share the use of the network.
1&1 Drillisch, which recently acquired spectrum to become the fourth mobile operator in Germany, has been invited to participate in the work on the shared network.
The companies will build an equal number of new sites. These can then be used by the partners on the same conditions and be equipped with their own antennas and network technology.
The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) set new coverage requirements for the network operators in the recent award of 5G frequencies, including covering more traffic routes. The network operators expect the agreement to share infrastructure will help them meet the targets, including coverage along roads and train lines and in so-called white spots, especially in rural areas.
The Federal Cartel Office has been informed about the cooperation agreement. In the past, the Federal Network Agency made clear that in principle it approves the idea of sharing infrastructure. By the spring of 2020 at the latest, the companies will disclose further details relating to their cooperation, before starting work on the network build.
