With the publication of the Frequency Fee Ordinance in the German Federal Law Gazette on November 20, 2019, it is official: From now on, companies in Germany can prepare for the use of private 5G frequencies. “Germany is thus one of the global pioneers in the private use of 5G. Here we are laying the foundation for disruptive change,” explained Thomas Jarzombek , Commissioner of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology for the Digital Economy and Startups. While until now companies have been dependent on the supply of telecommunications providers, they can now build their own networks, thanks to local frequencies, continued Jarzombek, “It is even possible to do what was previously unthinkable: set up mobile phone networks separated from the Internet. This offers a whole new level of security.”

To stimulate 5G technology and its use on company premises, frequencies in the range from 3.7 GHz to 3.8 GHz have been reserved. This gives licensees the opportunity to set up their own 5G networks within companies and agriculture. Industrial users, in particular, can therefore exploit the potential and technical advantages of 5G without having to resort to public mobile radio networks. Application forms can be found on the German Federal Network Agency’s website.