The Federal network Agency has laid down conditions with which the frequencies of the new wireless standard, 5G will be issued. A decision of the Board of the authority summarized. So, the 5G can be auctioned off frequencies in the spring of 2019 to mobile phone companies.

“creates Our decision-making are important prerequisites for the digitisation of the economy and society,” said network Agency President Jochen Homann. “By awarding the frequencies, we create planning and investment security, and contribute to a fast and demand-driven Expansion of the mobile networks in Germany.” The specifications included in “requirements for a better supply, both in the city as well as in the country,” measures to promote competition and regulations for national Roaming,” said the network Agency.

The consumer Association (vzbv) has criticized the conditions of the tender. These are from the consumer’s point of view, “disappointing”, said the vzbv chief Klaus Müller. “Of the now-stagnant competition in the mobile market, thus perpetuating more,” he criticized. “The Problem of white spots in rural areas will be with us for a while.”

The network operators had criticized the requirements, as for example in rural regions, no need for the 5G frequencies. They argued that the 4G technology is sufficient. The farmers ‘ Association and the German Association of towns and municipalities warned, however, facing a growing gap between city and country.

Until the end of 2022 at least 98 percent of the households per province with at least 100 megabits per second (Mbit/s) supplied. This includes all motorways and major national roads and Railways. Until the end of 2024 also on all of the major waterways and the rest of the Railways of at least 50 Mbit/s should be available.

For discussions of the so-called regional Roaming, so the diversion of customers of a provider on the mobile phone networks of the competitors in the case of a radio hole caused. The network Agency does not require companies to open their networks for competitors. They are, however, obliged to negotiate the technical and contractual co-operation with their competitors.

the detachment of The new mobile communications standard to the 4G technology, also known as LTE. Due to a huge increase in speed up to the Gigabit range, the fast Transmission of large amounts of data in real time should be possible. This is considered to be a prerequisite for the further Expansion of networked factories and machines in the economy or the spread of self-driving cars. Also for consumer-definition Videos to example, Streaming high larger and larger amounts of data. Most applications, however, with 4G as well. Currently there is no 5G-enabled Smartphones on the market.