The expansion of mobile communications for 5G is sluggish at best. However, the company seems to identify competition as the cause.
(Photo: dpa)
Montabaur After considerable delays in the construction of its 5G network, the youngest mobile communications provider in Germany 1&1 wants to have a possible obstruction by British competitor Vodafone checked. This Friday, the United Internet subsidiary wants to submit a corresponding complaint to the Federal Cartel Office, 1&1 surprisingly announced on Thursday evening in Montabaur. Vodafone is the main shareholder of the radio tower company Vantage Towers, which is to build the locations for 1&1, among other things. A spokeswoman for the radio tower company did not want to comment on the case when asked.
1&1 wants to take off as the fourth German network operator and is currently building its network. By the end of 2022, the company should meet the state’s obligation to expand 1,000 activated 5G stations – but according to the latest information, there were only five. According to 1&1, Vantage Towers is “by far the most important expansion partner” and “almost completely missed” the contractually agreed expansion targets.
Germany is by far the most important market for the telecommunications provider Vodafone. However, the group has clearly stumbled in this country in recent quarters. Most recently, for example, the telecom provider was only able to win 8,000 mobile customers after deduction of terminations – the competitors Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica Germany increased their net new customer contract numbers in the six-digit range in the periods.
More: How the telecom industry ripped off the federal government.