European Football Championship sees substantial growth in mobile network coverage
Prior to the upcoming European Football Championship in Germany, mobile network operators Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telefonica O2 are significantly expanding their mobile networks to accommodate the anticipated millions of fans in the ten host cities.
Social media is abuzz with goals, penalties, and controversial scenes, all shared millions of times, while games are streamed in beer gardens, swimming pools, and on mobile devices. Fans constantly check their smartphones for the latest match schedules and download tickets on the go. In anticipation of increased streaming demand, these mobile network operators have stepped up their game by strengthening their 5G networks with faster data transfer and larger bandwidth capabilities.
Telekom is at the forefront as the primary network provider, national sponsor, and TV rights holder and has laid 50 kilometers of fiber optic cable in the ten EM stadiums. Here, the network operators collaborate, with one taking the lead while the others connect using their respective technology. For instance, in Gelsenkirchen, Cologne, and Leipzig, Vodafone is spearheading the expansion effort, which is also utilized by Telekom and O2 and their customers. In the remaining seven stadiums, the roles switch, with Vodafone benefiting from the project leadership of its competitors.
At fan routes, train stations, and parking lots near the venues, the network operators are deploying their own mobile 5G transmitters and temporary masts for events. O2 plans to install its own 5G transmitters in various locations, including Munich's Olympic Park, Berlin's Platz der Republik, Hamburg's Heiligengeistfeld, Stuttgart's Schlossplatz, Leipzig's Augustusplatz, Gelsenkirchen's Nordsternpark, and Frankfurt's Eisernen Steg. Vodafone, on the other hand, is constructing mobile base stations, such as in Dortmund's Westfalenpark, and is equipping certain lits in Düsseldorf with 5G technology.
Deutsche Telekom claims that its 5G antennas already provide coverage for 96% of households in Germany, while O2 covers 95% and Vodafone 91%. Vodafone aims to complete 650 network enhancements at 50 locations before the EM starts. Previously, Telekom had announced its intention to expand its mobile network at 430 locations.
Vodafone's manager, Tanja Richter, predicts an unprecedented surge in data usage on the 5G network during the EM. According to O2, football serves as a significant driver of mobile data usage, as evidenced by the past year's top ten traffic peaks, six of which were during Champions League games involving German teams. This trend is set to continue in 2024, with the semi-final games in the European top class seeing the highest data usage from fans so far.
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- Vodafone, along with Deutsche Telekom and Telefonica O2, is actively expanding its 5G network in preparation for the European Football Championship in Germany, with Gelsenkirchen being one of the cities where Vodafone is leading the expansion effort.
- The European Football Championship has seen a substantial growth in mobile network coverage, with streaming services becoming increasingly popular as fans watch games on their mobile devices in various locations.
- O2, a mobile network operator, plans to install its own 5G transmitters in several cities hosting the European Football Championship, including Munich's Olympic Park and Leipzig's Augustusplatz, to ensure seamless connectivity during the event.
- According to Vodafone's manager, Tanja Richter, there will be an unprecedented surge in data usage on the 5G network during the European Football Championship, driven in part by football's ability to drive mobile data usage.
- German Telekom, one of the mobile network operators, has already provided 5G coverage for 96% of households in Germany, with competitors O2 and Vodafone covering 95% and 91% respectively.
- To accommodate the anticipated millions of fans attending the European Football Championship in Germany, mobile network operators are deploying their own mobile 5G transmitters and temporary masts at fan routes, train stations, and parking lots near the venues.
- In anticipation of increased streaming demand during the European Football Championship, mobile network operators like Vodafone and O2 have strengthened their 5G networks with faster data transfer and larger bandwidth capabilities to ensure a smooth viewing experience for soccer fans.
Source: www.stern.de
