Network Coverage at Telefónica Germany – Questions & Answers
How good is the Telefónica Germany mobile network?
Telefónica Germany already provides around 99% of the population in Germany with the modern 5G mobile communications standard. With 4G/LTE and 2G/GSM, the O2 network reaches around 100% of the population.
- GSM coverage: approx. 100% throughout Germany
- 4G/LTE coverage: approx. 100% throughout Germany
- 5G coverage: approx. 99% throughout Germany (as of December 2025)
How big is the Telefónica Germany mobile network?
The O2 network consists of more than 29,000 mobile phone sites. These ensure comprehensive nationwide network coverage. This means that Telefónica Germany operates the mobile phone network with the second-highest number of mobile phone sites in Germany.
How has data volume developed on the O2 network?
The Telefónica Germany network is so powerful and connects so many people and businesses every day that it easily handles the majority of mobile data traffic in Germany (~50%). Data volume on the Telefónica Germany network is now more than four times higher than in 2020 (6.3 billion gigabytes in 2025 vs. 1.5 billion gigabytes in 2020).
How is Telefónica Germany continuing to develop its mobile network?
Telefónica Germany is consistently pushing ahead with network expansion in order to provide private and business customers nationwide with higher speeds and greater capacity in everyday life. Every year, Telefónica Germany invests around €1 billion in its network, IT and service offerings for this purpose.
The focus is on expanding the fast 5G network, using additional 4G/LTE frequency bands and building new mobile phone sites to close coverage gaps and further densify the network.
Private and business customers in cities, rural areas and along transport routes benefit from a high-performance network and fast mobile data.
Where is Telefónica Germany focusing its expansion efforts for the mobile network?
A particular focus is on:
- The expansion of 5G in cities and rural areas
- The expansion of additional 4G/LTE capacities
- Improved coverage along motorways, federal highways and train routes
How far has the 5G rollout progressed on the O2 network in Germany?
5G is already available on the O2 network in virtually all parts of Germany. Telefónica Germany already reaches around 99% of the population with 5G.
Telefónica Germany is investing heavily in the 5G network rollout. After the launch in October 2020 in the five largest German cities, the rollout has been significantly accelerated.
How well is Telefónica Germany progressing with its network expansion?
Telefónica Germany is expanding the O2 network at record speed. In 2025 alone, the telecommunications provider implemented 8,000 expansion measures in the network. This includes the commissioning of 600 additional mobile phone sites, which significantly improve network coverage in cities, rural areas and along transport routes. The company has thus once again exceeded the expansion performance of previous years. In mathematical terms, this means that Telefónica Germany implements an expansion measure for a better network approximately every hour, around the clock, every day of the year. Every other day, a dead spot disappears.
Is Telefónica Germany also improving mobile coverage on trains?
Telefónica Germany is specifically expanding its own mobile network along railway lines. In 2024/2025, Telefónica Germany will have activated additional spectrum (LTE on 900 MHz) for mobile coverage for rail passengers at 10,000 locations along railway lines, providing better network coverage for more than 28,000 kilometres of the 33,000-kilometre rail network.
What is the network quality of Telefónica Germany?
- For six years in a row, the Telefónica Germany mobile network has received a ‘very good’ rating in the most important nationwide network test conducted by the trade journal Connect.
- In 2025, the company achieved second place in the overall rating for the first time.
- In the network test conducted by the trade magazine CHIP, the O2 Telefónica network has also received a ‘very good’ rating since 2025.
- In the Connect network operator comparison of the EU's continental countries from 2025, the Telefónica Germany´s network ranks among the top 3 providers out of 26 operators tested.
- The EU Commission also attests that German network operators have made great progress in 5G coverage and are among the leaders among the large member states.
Where was 5G most recently expanded in the O2 network?
Telefónica Germany is constantly expanding its own mobile network. Since March 2026, Telefónica Germany has expanded 5G in the following locations, among others:
- Bretten in the Kraichgau (Baden-Württemberg)
- Rattiszell in the Bavarian Forest (Bavaria)
- Duvennest in the Mecklenburg Lake District (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania)
- Papenburg in the Emsland (Lower Saxony)
- Finnentrop in the Sauerland (North Rhine-Westphalia)
- Harzgerode Straßberg in the Harz (Saxony-Anhalt)
Why was the 3G network switched off?
The outdated 3G technology (UMTS) was switched off at the end of 2021. Telefónica Germany has since been using the freed-up frequency spectrum for the significantly more powerful 4G/LTE standard – an important step towards better network quality and higher data rates.
How good is the network at my location?
With the O2 availability check, you can quickly and easily check how good the telephony and mobile Internet coverage is at your address. The live check also shows how well the O2 mobile network is currently working at your location.
Check network availability now
Does Telefónica Germany also offer landline services?
Yes. Telefónica Germany offers leading technological diversity and geographical availability in the landline sector. Through partnerships, the company can offer DSL, cable and fibre optic connections with speeds of up to 1000 Mbit/s nationwide. Telefónica Germany currently reaches around 24 million households with gigabit speeds. That is more than half of all German households.