The goal is to have more than 300 5G antennas in the Group transmitting by the end of 2019. By the end of 2020, at least the 20 largest cities in Germany are to be connected to the fast network. But first ‘network clusters’ are to be set up in areas with high data usage, the Group reports . In Munich, 5G is to be available at the BMW Park by the end of 2019, while an industrial park in Bonn has already been connected to the network. Vodafone is already further along, reports German online news website heise.de : According to the company, more than 150 of the antennas at 52 locations are already in use.

The Federation of German Industries (BDI) fears a sluggish expansion of the infrastructure, especially in rural regions. BDI President Dieter Kempf i s quoted by German national daily newspaper ‘Die Welt’ as saying that there are obligations to roll out a fast network along highways and railroads. However, two thirds of all industrial jobs are based in rural areas.