The expansion of the mobile network is not progressing as planned. Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has called for sanctions.
Federal Minister of Transport Volker Wissing (FDP) is increasing the pressure on network operators as the requirements for closing dead spots are unlikely to be met.
“The causes now need to be discussed in detail with the mobile communications industry. We believe that where network operators are responsible, legal options should also be used to penalize self-inflicted delays.”
Wissing seeks sanctions
The Federal Network Agency would have to impose sanctions. The authority checks the supply requirements. Violations can result in serious penalties. The Institution’s Advisory Board meets this Monday.
Wissing said that when it comes to digital connectivity, Germany should no longer be ordinary, but play at the top. “We need to close dead spots in mobile communications as quickly as possible. Network operators are investing a lot of money and continue to expand.”
Expansion requirements for 2022 likely won’t be met
According to the Federal Network Agency, about 97 percent of the area is covered by 4G. Current figures show that coverage by network operators with the latest 5G mobile communications standard was around 79 percent in October 2022, thus increasing by almost 50 percent from the previous year.
“However, it is clear that the telecommunications industry will probably not be able to meet the coverage requirements until the end of 2022,” says Wissing, who is also in charge of digital. “In the Gigabit strategy, we stipulated creating favorable framework conditions to accelerate expansion,” said the FDP politician.
“Government and business must come together to create the digital infrastructure that a modern country needs for the digital age,” Wissing said.
None of the three incumbent operators Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefónica are likely to meet the expansion requirements for 4G dead spots, according to a report submitted to the Federal Network Agency’s advisory board.
Source: ZDF
I’m Ashley Robinson, a professional writer and journalist. I specialize in news writing and have been working for the past five years with News Unrolled. My main focus is on technology-related topics, though I also write about politics, healthcare, and business from time to time.
