新闻分析丨德国5G之路为何难走

Core Viewpoint - Germany is lagging in 5G deployment compared to other countries, facing challenges in speed, latency, coverage, and investment, which undermines its digital ambitions [1] Group 1: 5G Network Performance - German telecom operators, including Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, O2, and 1&1, spent approximately €6.6 billion to acquire 5G frequency bands in 2019, aiming for an end-to-end latency of under 10 milliseconds [2] - Six years later, average latency remains high, with Deutsche Telekom at 23 milliseconds and Vodafone and O2 at around 29 milliseconds, far exceeding the 10 milliseconds target set by 3GPP [2][3] - Although Deutsche Telekom leads in download speed with an average of 180 Mbps, the high latency prevents the support of real-time applications [2][3] Group 2: Coverage Issues - Approximately 2.1% of Germany's territory lacks any 4G or 5G signal, while about 14% falls into "gray areas" with partial coverage, primarily in rural and mountainous regions [3] - Coverage issues are not limited to remote areas; major cities like Berlin and Munich also experience significant network gaps [3] Group 3: Investment and Regulatory Challenges - The lack of investment and commitment is identified as the core issue, as reducing latency below 10 milliseconds requires a substantial increase in the number of base stations and a complete overhaul of the transmission network [4] - Operators are hesitant to invest due to high costs, creating a vicious cycle where the absence of networks discourages real-time applications, leading to a lack of motivation for further investment [4] - Regulatory inefficiencies contribute to the problem, with the approval process for new mobile base stations in Germany being significantly slower than in countries like China [4] Group 4: Need for Innovation - The media suggests that Germany's issue is not a lack of technology but rather a lack of innovative spirit and willingness to invest in infrastructure [5] - Proposals include creating fully loaded networks in urban areas and installing small base stations on streetlights to enhance local data centers [5]