2018-10-12 | Deutsche Telekom reiterates 5G ambitions

... it believes will help it achieve a successful 5G launch, which includes bringing the technology to 99 per cent of Germany’s population by 2025.

The operator wants to build over 2,000 new mobile sites every year, four times more than it originally planned, along with 10,000 smaller radio cells to improve coverage at high-demand locations or inside buildings.

Referencing a 5G alliance it recently made with Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom said it wants to share infrastructure with other operators, particularly in rural areas. It also said it wants to hold a conference with players in the German industry to clarify the specific quality requirements for its network in terms of coverage, latencies and bandwidths.

It also wants to work with the German Association of Towns and Municipalities to “achieve a more systematic and faster digitalisation of authorities and administrations.”

Detusche Telekom said Germany can learn from the US and countries in Asia by simplifying and accelerating approval procedures for the construction of 5G antenna sites, and also the provision of important 5G frequencies in the 25GHz and 60GHz bands in the short term.

“The digitalisation of Germany is a challenge for our society as a whole,” said CEO Timotheus Hoettges. “Our part is the networks. We take this responsibility seriously, which is why we are focusing on investment, innovation, and partnerships.”

Earlier this week Hoettges said availability of devices will play a key part in determining Deutsche Telekom’s domestic 5G launch strategy as the company works towards a 2020 launch. Reuters reported the operator plans to pump 5.5 billion euro per year into building the network.