Faster Mobile Networks Telefónica Deutschland implemented 4,500 network expansion projects in the first half of the year
In June 2026, Telefónica, in collaboration with the tower operator Phoenix Tower Germany, inaugurated a new mast in Plettenberg-Selscheid ()
- Accelerated Expansion: A quarter more projects than in the same period last year
- Better Coverage: More than 500 new mobile network sites, including 4G/5G, improve network coverage and enable digital applications
- Faster network: More than 2,500 capacity upgrades and 1,300 5G updates strengthen the network in areas where people use particularly large amounts of data
- Expansion follows people’s daily lives: Mobile service on the go, in rural areas, and in cities
Telefónica Deutschland significantly accelerated the expansion of its mobile network in the first half of 2026. The telecommunications provider implemented approximately 4,500 expansion measures nationwide. That is a quarter more measures than in the same period last year (approx. 3,500 measures). The expansion is increasingly aligned with actual digital usage: on the go, in rural areas, in cities, and in locations with high data demand.
“Mobile communications is the infrastructure that underpins digital participation and economic performance in everyday life. Our network is already very well developed. Network expansion is therefore becoming more of a precision task. We are continuing to expand in areas where additional network capacity makes the biggest difference for people and businesses. Navigation, video calls, streaming, and mobile work must function when it matters most. With our investments in an even faster network, we aim to provide citizens with the best possible gateway to digital technologies,” says Matthias Sauder, Director of Technology & Unified Connectivity at Telefónica Deutschland.
Matthias Sauder
More than 500 new towers along major roads and in rural areas
The faster expansion pace is particularly evident in the construction of new sites. In the first half of 2026, Telefónica Deutschland put more than 500 new 4G/5G mobile sites into operation, which now enable digital applications—significantly more than in the first half of 2025.
New towers along major roads in places such as Kirchhundem (North Rhine-Westphalia), Bramsche (Lower Saxony), Flossenbürg (Bavaria), and Mühlental (Saxony) improve navigation, streaming, connectivity, and mobile work on the go. Additional sites in rural areas such as Pfeffenhausen (Bavaria), St. Georgen im Schwarzwald (Baden-Württemberg), Höhlenort Rübeland (Saxony-Anhalt), Berga (Thuringia), Schweix (Rhineland-Palatinate), and Waldeck (Hesse) are making digital administration, connected agriculture, and business applications more accessible.
New cell tower in Pouch on the Muldestausee (Saxony-Anhalt) ()
2,500 upgrades for faster browsing and streaming
Capacity in the existing network is also growing significantly. With more than 2,500 capacity upgrades, Telefónica Deutschland implemented one-third more measures in the first half of the year than in the same period last year. These upgrades boost performance in areas where many people are online at the same time: in city centers, at transportation hubs, in industrial parks, at events, or at heavily frequented recreational areas. In addition, there have been approximately 1,300 5G expansion measures.
Telefónica Deutschland’s mobile network reaches approximately 100 percent of people where they live and work, 99 percent of whom have 5G coverage. The stability and performance of digital applications in specific usage scenarios are becoming increasingly relevant.
Best View: In Waldmünchen, in the Bavarian district of Cham, Telefónica is putting a new cell tower into service ()
With this continued expansion, Telefónica Deutschland is strengthening the technological foundation for digital inclusion, economic performance, and new applications in Germany. The company is evolving its role beyond mere infrastructure: As a trusted guide in a complex digital world, Telefónica Deutschland makes digital technologies easier to use for people and businesses—from video calls and mobile payments to connected applications in industry, small and medium-sized businesses, and the public sector.
| About Telefónica Deutschland Telefónica Deutschland is a leading full-service provider of telecommunications services for residential and business customers. The portfolio of its core brand, O2, as well as various secondary and partner brands, includes not only traditional voice and internet services but also innovative digital services in the areas of the Internet of Things, security, entertainment, and data analytics. In mobile communications, Telefónica Deutschland serves approximately 35 million mobile connections (as of March 31, 2026). The company is the leading mobile provider in the consumer market and in the market for innovative partner offerings, as well as a rapidly growing provider in the solutions business for corporate customers. The company’s high-performance and multi-award-winning mobile network reaches more than 99 percent of the population. In the fixed-line sector, O2 offers leading technological diversity and geographic coverage in Germany. In fiscal year 2025, the company generated revenue of 8.2 billion euros. The company is majority-owned by the Spanish telecommunications group Telefónica S.A., headquartered in Madrid, one of the world’s largest telecommunications groups. |
