1&1 mobile network: smartphone tariffs from December 2023

Montabaur, September 18, 2023. 1&1 Mobilfunk GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of 1&1 AG, has concluded a comprehensive national roaming agreement with Vodafone in August 2023. This means that 1&1 customers will also be able to use 5G in places where there is no dedicated coverage during the roll-out phase of the new 1&1 network. It will be technically possible for Vodafone to provide 5G roaming from July 1, 2024, but no later than October 1, 2024. Until then, 1&1 will have access to national roaming from Telefónica, which, however, will only cover the 4G standard.

In order to be able to offer marketable rates in the transitional period between the imminent launch of 4G-based mobile services (with Telefónica roaming) and the planned provision of 5G roaming (by Vodafone) from summer 2024, 1&1 will, as already reported ad hoc on August 2, 2023, provide new 5G customers with transitional tariffs based on 5G MVNO wholesale services from Vodafone. 4G tariffs will be produced by 1&1 itself on its network, using Telefónica's national roaming.

The prerequisite for this simultaneous provision of tariffs based on 5G MVNO wholesale services and 4G services in the 1&1 network, which is planned on a transitional basis, is the extension of the parallel sales permitted by the Federal Network Agency until the end of 2023. The Federal Network Agency's decision in this regard is now expected in November 2023. 1&1 will now await this decision and offer mobile 4G services on its own network from December 2023 (previously planned for September), as well as 5G tariffs on the basis of Vodafone MVNO wholesale services on a transitional basis until summer 2024.

"We have been campaigning for several years to also get the usual 5G standard for national roaming. Unfortunately, this was not possible within the framework of the Telefónica roaming contract. Now we are launching our mobile services in December in the first step with 4G and offering new customers 5G rates on a transitional basis in the proven MVNO business model. From next summer, we will then have 5G available in the new national roaming with Vodafone and, in parallel, will activate the mobile 5G functions in our network. At this time, we are discontinuing the parallel marketing of 5G MVNO tariffs”, says Ralph Dommermuth, CEO of 1&1 AG.

In addition to the comprehensive roaming partnership with Vodafone, 1&1 has in recent months laid the foundations for the successful launch of mobile services on its network, which is fully virtualized and bases on the innovative OpenRAN technology. For example, the 1&1 core network has been interconnected with all national and international networks, the functionality of the mobile services has been intensively tested and certified by all well-known smartphone manufacturers. By the end of this month, 1&1 expects to have around 110 decentralized data centers and around 500 antenna sites that can be shared as part of so-called co-location for the installation of 5G antennas and connection to fiber. In addition, approximately 300 lease agreements for new antenna sites should be in place by then.

About 1&1 AG

1&1 AG is a listed telecommunications provider domiciled in Montabaur. The Company is a member of the United Internet AG corporate group. 1&1 offers its customers a comprehensive portfolio of mobile and broadband access. Moreover, other portfolio components are attractively bundled mobile and fixed network products and value-added applications such as home networking, online storage, video on demand, smart home solutions or IPTV. While the 1&1 brand is addressing value and premium segments, the Group’s discount brands appeal to price-conscious target customers.

Following the successful participation in the 5G frequency auction, 1&1 as the fourth German network operator will establish the first European-wide fully virtualized mobile network on the basis of the innovative OpenRAN technology.

Press contact 1&1
Robin Schmidt
Mail: [email protected]