The expansion of 5G networks in Germany continues: More than 95 percent of people have access. In the Vodafone network alone, almost twice as much data was transmitted with 5G as in the previous year.
In Germany, over 95 percent of people live in a region where they can use modern 5G mobile networks. This emerges from the annual statistics that have now been published by the network operators Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone.
As 5G usage increases, the volume of data transmitted also increases. Telefónica (O2) maintained its leading position: from January to November 2023 alone, the O2 network transported 4.3 billion gigabytes. Telekom transferred almost 2.7 billion gigabytes in 2023, around ten percent more than in the previous year, followed by Vodafone with 2.4 billion gigabytes (plus 34 percent).
Champions League games as Cellular driver
The 5G mobile network is faster than previous network generations (LTE or UMTS). It also has lower latency, meaning the connection is more responsive when accessing websites or apps. 5G also enables a higher number of devices to be connected at the same time, making it easier to use various applications.
Matches in European professional football proved to be important drivers of mobile phone usage this year: the Champions League game between FC Copenhagen and Bayern Munich on October 3rd resulted in this year’s top value on the O2 network. Overall, seven of the ten highest traffic values on the Internet could be traced back to Champions League games with German participation, Telefónica said. The remaining top values were achieved on public holidays and Sundays, when many customers streamed on mobile at prime TV time.
A Champions League game on December 13th also set an annual record for Vodafone: On that day, Borussia Dortmund secured group victory with a 1-1 draw against Paris Saint-Germain. On Easter Sunday 2023, however, the least data was transmitted through the Vodafone network. The spring-like interplay of sun and clouds on April 9th may have motivated many people to put their smartphones aside for a moment.
Growing 5G usage and expansion Network infrastructure
The network operators expect increasing demands on the networks through applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in 2024. “The applications of digitalization such as AI take place in the cloud,” said Markus Haas, CEO of O2 Telefónica. To use them, you need high data transfer rates and reliable real-time communication. “5G makes this possible for everyone.”
The statistics from the network operators show that the 5G network in Germany is being used by more and more people. Almost twice as much data was transmitted with 5G in the Vodafone network this year as in the previous year.
People are using more and more video streams on their smartphones and tablets, said Vodafone network boss Tanja Richter. “They share personal experiences on social networks with photos and, increasingly, with data-intensive moving images.” This was made possible because dead spots were closed, network capacities were expanded and the 5G network was significantly enlarged.