Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer has invited players from the mobile communications industry to the mobile communications summit to discuss the next milestones for the expansion of mobile communications in Germany. The most important topic, in addition to closing dead spots, will be the expansion of the 5G network. The current status: since the allocation of frequencies last year, mobile network operators have been upgrading their infrastructure for the new 5G mobile communications standard. The mobile operators themselves also identify fiber optic expansion as a decisive factor for the progress of the expansion. After all, in order to equip mobile communications sites with 5G, they must be connected to the fiber optic network. The data throughput for a stable and powerful 5G network can only be provided via this infrastructure. However, the companies building the fiber optic networks remain unheard at today’s summit. In BREKO’s view, this approach is not conducive to rapid expansion.
BREKO Managing Director Dr. Stephan Albers commented: “Without a fiber optic connection to all mobile communications antennas, there will be no high-performance mobile communications with either the current LTE mobile communications standard or 5G. The more than 200 telecommunications network operators organized in BREKO are already making an important contribution to the expansion of mobile communications: They are not only driving forward the expansion of fibre optics to buildings and homes, but are also implementing the fibre optic connection of mobile masts in many projects as partners of the mobile communications companies. However, despite proactive requests, they were not invited to the mobile communications summit. It must be clear to everyone: if there are no representatives of fiber optic expansion at the table of the mobile communications summit, an important building block is missing.”
In addition to the missed opportunity for cross-industry exchange, Albers sees another important reason for participation: “The fact that fibre optics is inextricably linked to 5G and therefore crucial for Germany’s digital future must be emphasized even more strongly in the public debate. Participation in the mobile communications summit would also have been important in order to provide a platform for the players who are ensuring Germany’s digital competitiveness by expanding the fiber optic network.”
In addition to the involvement of fiber optic stakeholders in the mobile communications summit, BREKO also believes that a realistic assessment of the performance and fields of application of 5G is necessary. “Despite all the euphoria that currently prevails in the context of mobile communications and 5G, one thing must not be forgotten: 5G is not the sole ‘savior’ for Germany’s digital infrastructure. There is no doubt that 5G opens up many new possibilities. However, reliable gigabit bandwidths will only be provided in the future by real fiber optic connections to buildings and homes. Therefore, the focus must remain on fiber optic expansion. We finally need a ‘fibre optic strategy’, similar to the German government’s ‘mobile communications strategy’, which contains concrete measures to accelerate and simplify the expansion of fibre optics in Germany,” emphasizes Albers.