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1&1 accuses Vodafone of obstructing network expansion

2023-02-24T12:26:52.857Z


The dispute between the mobile phone companies about the problems with the 5G expansion is entering the next round. Now 1&1 surprisingly announced that it is turning to the Federal Cartel Office.


Enlarge image

1&1 logo on the roof of the company headquarters: public criticism of Vantage Towers

Photo: Thomas Frey / dpa

The mobile phone provider 1&1 announced that it would file a complaint against Vodafone with the Federal Cartel Office on Friday because the company sees its competitor as hindering the expansion of its 5G mobile network.

This was announced by 1&1, which itself is struggling with significant delays in building its 5G network, on Thursday evening.

Vodafone is the main shareholder of the radio tower company Vantage Towers, which, among other things, is to set up the locations for 1&1.

1&1 justified its announcement by saying that the joint use of 3800 antenna sites for the new 1&1 network had been agreed with Vantage Towers in 2021.

Vantage Tower, however, almost completely missed contractual expansion targets for 2022.

On Thursday, Vantage and Vodafone 1&1 announced that there would be further delays and that a new roll-out plan would not be adhered to.

The expansion targets planned for the first quarters of 2023 would be clearly missed.

Five instead of 1000 activated stations

1&1 wants to take off as the fourth German network operator and is currently building its network.

By the end of 2022, the company should meet the state obligation to expand 1000 activated 5G stations - but in the end, according to current information, it ended up with just five stations.

(Read more about 1&1's plans and problems building its network here.)

According to 1&1, Vantage Towers is “by far the most important expansion partner”: the radio tower company “almost completely missed” the contractually agreed expansion targets.

A spokeswoman for Vantage Towers declined to comment on the case.

The renewed delay could affect the launch of mobile services in the 1&1 network planned for the third quarter.

1&1 is checking the schedule for further network expansion, it said.

According to the company, a slightly delayed grid start would not have any significant financial impact.

hpp/dpa/Reuters

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2023-02-24

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