The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) has approved the use of the 5G frequencies in the 3.5GHz range which were auctioned in Düsseldorf in late summer 2019.
Vodafone launched the first 5G network in Germany last year, on 3.5GHz frequencies that it acquired from Telefónica in 2018.
Existing 5G base stations and antenna are being brought up to full power, offering customers speeds of up to 1Gbps, up from the maximum speed of 500Mbps that has been provided by 5G so far.
5G speeds up
“5G will continue to pick up speed in 2020,” said Vodafone Germany’s CEO, Hannes Ametsreiter (pictured). “At 5G, we’re turning on the turbo this year, accelerating our network and expanding. We bring the gigabit wherever the gigabit is needed.”
Modernisation starts today
From today, Vodafone will start work turning up the 5G antennas already transmitting in 50 cities and municipalities in its network, which will take a few weeks according to the operator.
Up to 80 5G antennas will be converted this week, including in Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Dortmund, Karlsruhe and Frankfurt am Main.
5G for 10 million people Vodafone said it will reach around 500,000 people with 5G by the end of the financial year and is working on “numerous” projects with industrial partners including Airbus, Thales, e.GO Mobile and Total Germany.
By the end of 2020, Vodafone Germany intends to make 5G available to 10 million people, and double that by the end of 2021.