Deutsche Telekom said that over 67,000 antennas are already transmitting 5G across the country
German telco Deutsche Telekom said it is using spectrum in the 700 MHz range for the provision of 5G for the first time.
The European operator said that the use of the 700 MHz band improve mobile communications coverage in rural areas across Germany.
The telco added that more than 3,000 antennas in about 1,100 locations are currently transmitting 5G via 700 MHz frequencies.
“In the course of the expansion, the use of the 700 MHz frequency for 5G is the logical continuation of our spectrum strategy: We want to offer our customers the best network at all times and everywhere. We are thus reaching even more people nationwide with fast internet and improving 5G coverage in rural areas. This is how we create a real value for our customers,” said Walter Goldenits, head of technology at Deutsche Telekom.
Deutsche Telekom noted that the new frequencies have the potential to provide better indoor coverage, because the lower frequencies can penetrate buildings and walls better.
With this new addition, the telco is now offering 5G services via three different frequencies. In addition to the 700 MHz frequency, there are two other radio bands: 2.1 GHz and 3.6 GHz.
Some of the cities where the telco offers 5G via 3.6 GHz spectrum are Aachen, Augsburg, Berlin, Bonn, Braunschweig, Bremen, Darmstadt, Dortmund, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt/Main, Hamburg, Hanover, Jena, Kiel, Cologne, Leipzig, Ludwigsburg, Munich, Nuremberg, Saarbrücken, Schwerin, Stuttgart, Wiesbaden and Wolfsburg.
Nearly 92% of households in Germany can already access Deutsche Telekom’s 5G network, while LTE household coverage is now 99%, the carrier said.
Deutsche Telekom has said that over 67,000 antennas are already transmitting 5G across the country. On the 3.6 GHz band, 5G is available in more than 400 cities and towns. Deutsche Telekom reported that over 5,000 antennas are now compatible with Standalone (SA) 5G in the 3.6 GHz band.
The telco kicked off the rollout of its 5G network in a limited number of cities across Germany at the beginning of July 2019.
Over 53% of the German territory is covered by at least one provider supplying 5G as of the end of October, according to data from the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur).
The frequencies in the 3.6 GHz bands, auctioned off in 2019 and used exclusively for the provision of 5G services, have initially been used by network operators in urban areas of Germany, so high speeds are mainly available in metropolitan areas, the regulator said.
According to the official data, nearly 96% of the territory is currently covered with 4G technology.
