Mobile communications measurement week: This is how we close the dead spots in Saxony-Anhalt!

Mobile communications measurement week: This is how we close the dead spots in Saxony-Anhalt!

The mobile communications measurement week in Saxony-Anhalt runs until June 1st and aims to make network availability visible in the region. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Digital Affairs in Magdeburg provides information about this and invites citizens to share their experiences with mobile phone coverage. Minister Lydia Hüskens (FDP) highlights the progress in 5G mobile communications expansion, but points out that around 2.5 percent of the country is still not covered by mobile communications. The ministry cannot name an exact number of dead spots as these are only recorded statistically if no network operator is available in a certain area.

Interested consumers have the opportunity to explore mobile phone coverage using a smartphone and a special app from the Federal Network Agency. The data collected flows anonymously into the wireless hole map of the gigabit land register. This serves to gain insights into the user experience and increase the quality of mobile communications coverage. Dead spots are particularly noticeable in regions such as the Harz, the Altmark, Mansfeld-Südharz, Anhalt-Bitterfeld and the Börde.

Current status of network coverage

According to the Federal Network Agency, 5G coverage in Saxony-Anhalt is currently around 91 percent. All four major network operators – Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Telefónica/O2 and 1&1 Drillisch – promise to achieve full 5G household coverage by the end of 2025. However, full coverage may take longer in hard-to-reach areas. People's voice reports that even in areas where network operators are active, consumers can be in dead spots.

In order to close the dead spots, close cooperation between the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the network operators is required. However, challenges such as long approval procedures and difficulties in connecting to electricity must be overcome. The construction of a cell phone site takes place in several steps: from defining a search area to acquiring the location and building permits to network activation.

Dead spots and network quality in focus

As the South Germans reported that there are differences in network availability in both urban and rural areas in Germany. While sufficient coverage is usually guaranteed in cities, rural regions often have larger dead spots. The range of 5G masts is usually around 1 to 2 kilometers. With the mobile communications measurement week, the organizers hope to improve the network situation by actively involving users and incorporating their feedback into further expansion plans.