April 13, 2024, 2:14 pm | Read time: 5 minutes

Almost every German under 50 owns a smartphone–we live in a time when being reachable everywhere is a given. However, this requires a functioning infrastructure, with the mobile network at its core. TECHBOOK explains how the mobile network is structured, how data transmission works, and the state of network expansion in Germany.

How is the mobile network in Germany structured?

Throughout Germany, there are hundreds of thousands of mobile antennas, also known as base stations. Each base station is responsible for a specific area where it receives and sends data. These areas are called cells, which together form the mobile network.

In rural areas, the range of a cell can span several kilometers. In cities, where more people live and work, there are more mobile antennas covering smaller cells. Thus, the mobile network is denser in cities.

How does transmission in the mobile network work?

Data transmission in the mobile network occurs via electromagnetic waves. When a call is made or a message is sent, the information is encoded as digital signals and transmitted via the smartphone’s antennas. These signals are then received by nearby cell towers and forwarded to switching centers, where they are decoded and sent to the appropriate target device.

Let’s look at mobile transmission through a simple practical example:

1. You send a message to a friend.
2. In this case, your smartphone does not connect directly to the recipient’s phone.
3. Instead, your smartphone first sends the data to the nearest mobile antenna.
4. Next, the data is forwarded to a switching center responsible for multiple base stations.
5. From there, the data is sent back to the base station closest to the recipient.
6. Finally, this base station sends the data, in the form of your message, to the recipient’s phone.

From 2G to 5G–these mobile standards exist

For data transmission, German mobile networks use various standards. Currently, these are 2G/EDGE, 4G/LTE, and 5G. The “G” in the abbreviation stands for the respective generation of the transmission standard. In your smartphone’s status bar, you can see which radio standard your device is using to log into the mobile network.

2G was launched in 1992 and is mainly used today by older devices for telephony. Its successor, 3G, was shut down in 2021. The reason: Due to increasing smartphone use, the UMTS network was overloaded. Therefore, the LTE network was opened to many customers to distribute the network load. 4G was introduced in 2010 and could guarantee download speeds of up to 500 Mbps for the first time. The latest mobile standard, 5G, has been available since 2019. With the expanding 5G network, speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second are possible.

Read also: The differences between the mobile standards LTE, 4G, and 5G

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Network expansion in Germany: How many mobile networks are there?

Currently, there are four mobile networks in Germany:

1. Deutsche Telekom: D1 network
2. Vodafone: D2 network
3. Telefónica Deutschland: O2 network
4. 1&1: 1&1 network

It doesn’t matter which provider you have a contract with–ultimately, you always use one of these four mobile networks for calling and surfing. However, the networks differ significantly in quality, which is especially noticeable in rural areas. Those using Telekom’s D1 network often have better reception than Vodafone and Telefónica customers.

According to its own information, Telekom reaches 95 percent of the population with its 5G network. Both Vodafone and Telefónica cover 90 percent. The in-house network of 1&1 launched in Germany in December 2023 after some delays. It is still in its infancy. The company from Montabaur is currently working on improving its network infrastructure and setting up more antenna sites. It aims to reduce its dependence on so-called national roaming. National roaming allows a mobile provider to use another provider’s network, ensuring comprehensive coverage when its own network is unavailable.

By early 2024, 1&1 had set up around 500 antennas at 100 locations. The initial target–1,000 antennas by the end of 2022–was thus missed. Therefore, 1&1 must rely on Telefónica’s 5G network until mid-2024. After that, Vodafone is expected to assist with its 5G network until 1&1 has established more sites.

What frequencies do German mobile network operators use?

To ensure comprehensive network coverage, network operators use various frequencies for their base stations. For LTE, the 700 MHz, 800 MHz, and 1800 MHz bands are used. For 4G, it’s 2600 MHz, while 5G is received over 700 MHz, 1800 to 2100 MHz, and 3600 MHz.

Both Telekom and Vodafone and O2 are expanding rural areas with 700 MHz and 800 MHz. Lower frequencies are primarily used there because they have a greater range. Mobile operators in rural areas thus need fewer base stations to ensure adequate coverage.

In cities, higher frequencies like 1800 MHz and 2600 MHz are usually used. These have a shorter range but offer higher data capacity. Due to population density, a higher antenna density is required to enable sufficient network capacity.