Telecommunications in Germany

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Telecommunications in Germany is highly developed. The German telecommunication market has been fully liberalized since January 1, 1998. Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic

FTTH networks in ten cities in 2011, following the launch of pilot projects in Hennigsdorf, Braunschweig and Dresden in 2010.[1]

Fixed-line telephony

Fixed-line subscriber base
Year Subscribers
(millions)
2002 53.7
2003 54.2
2004 54.5
2005 54.8
2006 54.3
2007 53.1
2008 51.0
2009 48.5
2010 46.5

The German telecommunication network employs an extensive system of network elements such as digital

fibre-optics or Microwave radio relay networks. The access network, which connects the subscribers to the core, is diversified with a variety of copper-pair, optic-fibre, and wireless technologies. The fixed-line telecommunications market is dominated by the former state-owned monopoly Deutsche Telekom
. Since the mid-2000s, fixed-line installations have been in decline. Today's market players usually own and operate their own physical networks, which is a result of the previous state-owned monopoly. Such a player is termed an asset-based carrier. The number of suppliers is low as few companies have the ability to supply complex, reliable, and geographically extensive networks.

Fixed-line market share
Company Market
share
Deutsche Telekom 81.5%
Vodafone 10.1%
Versatel 2.6%
Others 5.7%

Mobile phone

See also: List of mobile network operators of Europe § Germany

The mobile phone market in Germany is dominated by 3 main cellular operators: Telekom (a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom and branded as T-Mobile between 2002 and 2010), Vodafone, Telefónica Germany (branded as O2; and includes the former E-Plus network of Telefónica Germany).

Deutsche Telekom AG launched LTE in late 2010. Network roll out began following the "digital dividend" spectrum auction which ended May 20, 2010.[2] In December 2010 Vodafone Germany commercially launched its first LTE network in rural areas using 800 MHz it won in the May 2010 auction. In late 2011 the company began rolling out the network in metropolitan areas with the federal state's capital Düsseldorf has been selected as one location because Vodafone's development center is situated there and because of the city's extensive fibre-optic network, which will be used to connect LTE base stations. Krefeld has been chosen as a second LTE rollout location because it is relatively flat and only a few base stations would be required to cover its roughly 250,000 residents.[3]

Radio

Main article: Radio in Germany

Broadcasting in the Federal Republic of Germany is reserved under the Basic Law (constitution) to the states. This means that all public broadcasting is regionalised. National broadcasts must be aired through the national consortium of public broadcasters (ARD) or authorized by a treaty negotiated between the states.

Internet

Main article: Internet in Germany

The DSL infrastructure is highly developed. Cable internet based on

Kabel Deutschland
and Unitymedia Kabel BW.

See also

References

  1. ^ Deutsche Telekom fibre plans?, Aug 26 2011, Advanced Television
  2. ^ Deutsche Telekom first to deploy LTE in digital dividend spectrum, 22 October 2010
  3. ^ Vodafone starting LTE city rollout, 29 June 2011, published in Telegrography
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