1&1 mobile network reaches every fourth German household

1&1's 5G mobile network reaches a quarter of all German households. This was announced by United Internet subsidiary 1&1. The company thus fulfills the expansion obligation for 2025, which was stipulated in the frequency usage rights. Where 1&1 does not yet have its antenna infrastructure, customers are connected via Vodafone's antennas at no extra charge – even though 1&1 initially felt hindered in its network expansion by Vodafone.

1&1 continues to expand its mobile network, although the frequency auction has been judicially annulled. Last year, the Cologne Administrative Court declared the award conditions and auction rules of the 5G auction unlawful. At the beginning of the month, the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) took the first step towards a new 5G frequency procedure.

In addition to its own 5G network, 1&1 must build transmission masts to help competitors close coverage gaps. However, this project has not fulfilled the promises of the then responsible Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU).

Migration of existing customers completed

United Internet has been marketing mobile communications for many years, but for a long time was only a wholesaler for other networks. 1&1 launched its 5G trial operation in 2022 but significantly missed the first regulatory expansion target of 1,000 transmission masts that year. At the turn of 2022/23, 1&1 operated only three of its transmission sites.

The official market launch of its network only followed in December 2023. It is one of the few Open-RAN mobile networks.

With the start of Carnival, 1&1 has completed the migration of all former wholesale contracts to its network. This was also a requirement of the Federal Network Agency.

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