Mobile Coverage Spreads to Many Dead Zones in Germany

Multiple gaps in the German mobile network coverage have been closed. Over 33,000 new cell towers have been built in the past ten years, reports an article in ifo Schnelldienst. One-third of the new towers were erected in rural areas, where about one-quarter of the population lives, write authors Moritz Goldbeck, Valentin Lindlacher, and Svenja Schwarz. This means that overall there is now good nationwide coverage for mobile communications services, although there are still some gaps.

Now the aim must be not to slip back from this good starting position. In particular, the article continues, it is essential to quickly roll out comprehensive coverage using the new mobile communications standards – with a focus on good coverage along transport routes. Not only has the use of mobile data services increased sharply, but mobile internet is also a prerequisite for important technologies of the future, such as autonomous driving or the Internet of Things.

However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find sites for new cell towers. But it will become even more important to develop new sites in the future, since further consolidation of mobile networks is necessary not only to close the remaining gaps but also to upgrade to the new 5G standard.