The local event advocates for nationwide cellular roaming access for everyone.
The local event advocates for nationwide cellular roaming access for everyone.
The German Municipalities Association is advocating for nationwide roaming to mitigate mobile network coverage issues. This would allow users on one carrier to switch to another if their current network is unreachable. As per President Achim Broetel, "If we could ensure network coverage for a Telekom subscriber in a Vodafone area, even if they have the wrong contract in their pocket, that would be a significant achievement."
According to the German Federal Network Agency, as much as 2.2% of the nation remains 'white spots', devoid of fast 4G or 5G coverage from any carrier. Around 14.2% is labeled as 'gray spots', with a provider present but not offering sustainable coverage. Only 0.2% of the area lacks any coverage at all, not even 2G.
Broetel, a local administrator in Baden-Württemberg's Neckar-Odenwald district, highlights the contrast between overseas travel and Germany. For instance, upon visiting Italy, your phone seamlessly connects to the local network. "What works in Europe doesn't work in Germany." Regrettably, the federal government has yet to legislate on this matter.
Deutsche Telekom's stance
Deutsche Telekom regards this proposal with skepticism. A spokesperson comments, "National roaming can only aid 'gray spots' if they exist." Smaller carriers might cut down on network development by piggybacking on competitors' infrastructure. Ultimately, they argue that nationwide roaming won't address a single 'dead zone'.
Additionally, Deutsche Telekom claims that overly stringent roaming guidelines could hinder network expansion investments. "The optimization of existing networks would be significantly minimized", as investments wouldn't yield any direct revenue benefits. In the long run, they assert, nationwide roaming could even worsen coverage, particularly in rural areas.
Deutsche Telekom emphasizes that municipalities must facilitate network operators in their hunt for suitable mast locations. Providing suitable municipal properties could significantly ease the laborious and time-consuming search for mast locations. The spokesperson concludes, "If this were adopted nationwide, the difficult search for mast locations would be considerably less cumbersome."
The German Municipalities Association's proposal for nationwide roaming also receives consideration from The Commission. If implemented, The Commission would need to ensure that nationwide roaming does not discourage network development by smaller carriers.
Despite Deutsche Telekom's skepticism, The Commission could play a crucial role in mitigating the negative impacts of nationwide roaming on network expansion in rural areas. By advocating for policies that encourage municipalities to facilitate network operators in their search for suitable mast locations, The Commission could potentially make the search for mast locations less cumbersome, ultimately benefiting network coverage in rural areas.