The German government’s decision to free up the entire 3.4–3.8 GHz band (C‑Band) has been welcomed by the GSMA as a positive step for the development of global 5G services — though the industry body also raised some cautions.
Making the full complement of spectrum in this important mid‑band available in a timely manner demonstrates Germany’s commitment to European and global 5G leadership. At the same time, the GSMA warned that certain proposed conditions attached to the allocation of these frequencies could hamper the country’s 5G progress if not revised.
Mats Granryd, director general of the GSMA, stressed that spectrum is a finite resource and must be managed and used as efficiently as possible to deliver a 5G future that benefits everyone.
A specific concern is the proposed coverage obligations for the 3.6 GHz portion of the band. Those obligations appear to overlook the physical propagation characteristics of mid‑band frequencies. While the 3.4–3.8 GHz range offers very high capacity, its signals cover relatively small areas compared with lower bands that are better suited to wide‑area coverage. Achieving extensive rural and nationwide coverage will require a mix of frequencies, combining mid‑band capacity with lower‑band reach.
For this reason, coverage obligations should allow operators to use any and all spectrum resources at their disposal to meet regulatory targets and deliver the best possible service quality for consumers and industry. Obligations need to be practical and proportionate so they do not place an excessive burden on mobile network operators, which could slow network rollout and reduce the overall benefits of 5G.
On the operator side, Deutsche Telekom recently said its 5G rollout was well underway and progressing quickly. The company reported that its 5G network was already 80% ready and that it expects to reach 99% coverage by 2025. CEO Timotheus Höttges noted that roughly 22,000 of Deutsche Telekom’s 27,000 mobile sites are now connected to high‑speed fibre. The operator also reached an agreement with competitor Telefónica under which Telefónica will use Deutsche Telekom’s fibre infrastructure to connect its own mobile base stations, a move that can help accelerate broader 5G deployment.
In summary, Germany’s release of the full 3.4–3.8 GHz band is a constructive development for European and global 5G ambitions. To fully realise those ambitions, policymakers should design allocation and coverage requirements that reflect the technical realities of mid‑band spectrum, allow flexible use of all available frequencies, and avoid imposing impractical obligations that could slow investment and rollout.