Telefónica successfully completes nationwide conversion to uniform network identification

Telefónica Deutschland has reached an important milestone in the ongoing merger of the O₂ and E-Plus networks. The company has successfully completed the conversion of its GSM, UMTS and LTE networks to a uniform network identification. Through this so-called recolouring, Telefónica Deutschland customers nationwide are now displayed a uniform network sign on their mobile phones. This also happens in areas where the company has not yet fully integrated the networks of O₂ and E-Plus into the new, joint network of Telefónica Deutschland. “After National Roaming – the opening of the O₂ and E-Plus networks for all customers of Telefónica Deutschland – the nationwide conversion to a uniform network identification is another important step on the way towards our new joint network,” says Cayetano Carbajo Martín, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Telefónica Deutschland. “By completing the recolouring process, we are now able to fully concentrate on the nationwide integration and optimisation so that more and more customers can benefit from the advantages of our common mobile network.”

After the merger of Telefónica and E-Plus in 2015 the company first opened the UMTS and GSM networks of O₂ and E-Plus in the course of National Roaming to all customers. Since then, Telefónica customers have benefitted from a significantly improved nationwide network coverage since they can also use the respective other network. Following this opening, Telefónica Deutschland began to unify the existing network codes of the O₂ and E-Plus networks to a uniform network identification. The company had previously informed its customers about the upcoming changes via SMS as well as on individual websites. Telefónica Deutschland had initially begun to unify the network code in Southern Germany in the autumn of 2016. Now the network identification was unified for all networks nationwide.

Telefónica Deutschland consequently promotes the network integration of O₂ and E-Plus. Integration works are nationwide in full swing. Customers will benefit immediately from the resulting improvements regarding network performance. At the same time the company is carrying out comprehensive optimisation work to further improve network quality. In the end, an optimal network infrastructure will be established, which will consistently be oriented towards the benefit of the customer. The new joint network of Telefónica Deutschland will use the best locations and will thereby improve the quality of supply.