Mobile phone on train - The gap between Rostock and Berlin should be closed
New hope for railway travelers with stable mobile phone reception: According to Deutsche Telekom, the currently largest gap in mobile network coverage along high-speed train routes in Germany in the Mecklenburg Lake District can now be closed. The administration of the Müritz National Park, the responsible district, and the Telekom have agreed on the installation of 14 new mobile phone masts along the railway tracks between Neustrelitz and Waren (Müritz), as announced by the Telekom.
On the approximately 30 kilometer long section of the North-South connection Rostock-Berlin-Dresden, train passengers have been sitting in the mobile phone dead zone. The necessary applications for the construction of the masts are expected to be submitted at the end of the summer. It was not specified when the work will begin and when the mobile network will be usable. Experts assume that it will take another three years before there is a mobile network connection throughout the train between Neustrelitz and Waren.
Nature protection as an obstacle
Special requirements for nature and environmental protection had to be taken into account in the planning, it was further stated. The achieved compromise provides for the installation of more mobile phone masts and these only 25 instead of the usual 30 to 40 meters high. "In this way, the masts are not higher than the trees, the landscape is not disturbed, and the species protection as well as the automated forest fire monitoring are guaranteed," it says in the statement. The construction costs would therefore double according to Telekom. According to industry estimates, about 200,000 euros are normally calculated per mast including connection to the fiber-optic network. Now, up to 500,000 euros are to be expected.
The Landrat of the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, Heiko Kärger (CDU), sees the construction of the mobile phone masts not only as a win for railway travelers. The residents of the adjacent communities and visitors to the national park would also benefit from it, he emphasized. With the direct involvement of the district, the processing of the applications is also ensured to be quick. Kärger expects, "that the first masts will already function in the coming year".
- German Telekom announced that they will install 14 new mobile phone masts on the railway tracks between Neustrelitz and Waren (Müritz) in Germany, closing the current gap in mobile network coverage along high-speed train routes in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
- The installation of these mobile phone masts, which will be 25 meters high instead of the usual 30 to 40 meters, is expected to cost double the original construction cost due to nature protection considerations.
- Experts predict it will take another three years before there is a stable mobile network connection throughout the train between Neustrelitz and Waren, improving mobile communication for travelers on the North-South connection Rostock-Berlin-Dresden.
- The Landrat of the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte district, Heiko Kärger, believes that not only railway travelers will benefit from this improvement, but also residents of adjacent communities and visitors to the national park.
- The residents of Berlin, known for its vibrant telecommunication and technology scene, might also appreciate the improved mobile network coverage on the train, as they travel to other cities like Rostock.
- As the largest telecommunications company in Germany, German Telekom's investment in mobile network coverage in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern showcases their commitment to providing useful and reliable mobile communication services to its customers across Germany, including in areas like Brandenburg and Berlin.
