Mobile phone coverage along Germany’s main railway lines has significantly improved, German news agency dpa reported, quoting the telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom and national rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB).
The companies said that 99 percent of key high-speed InterCity Express (ICE) and InterCity (IC) routes now have network coverage with data speeds of at least 200 megabits per second (Mbps), marking a 12 percent increase since their partnership began in 2021. As part of the partnership, DB provided land for mobile masts and fibre-optic connections, helping drive the expansion.
The collaboration, into which both companies have poured hundreds of millions of euros, has led to “almost uninterrupted” calls and internet connections on many routes, they said. DB chief executive officer Richard Lutz said the collaboration between the two firms showed that Germany was progressing in digitalisation. Along main routes, 95 percent of the Telekom network now provides speeds of 300 Mbps or more, while comp
etitor Vodafone covers 83 percent of the same lines with at least 225 Mbps. In 2022, Vodafone also entered into a partnership with DB to push ahead with the expansion.
Telefónica Germany (O2) has not released comparable figures but reported ongoing improvements in its network expansion. According to the companies, they all meet the requirement of the Federal Network Agency to provide a consistent 100 Mbps along the main lines.
Source: Emirates News Agency
