E-Plus seeks network sharing with rivals in Germany

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: KPN’s German mobile unit E-Plus has announced that it will buy network access from competitors to keep its mobile phone service in the country going. E-Plus has been the only operator which has failed to secure spectrum in the 800MHz band in the Federal Network Agency’s recent mobile frequency auction.

The competitors will be approached by the company for ‘white spots,’ or areas where it has no coverage, and will seek network use from rivals at the right price. Thorsten Dirks, head of E-Plus Germany has already expressed his desire for co- operation with rivals.

According to Niek Jan van Damme, a board member responsible for Deutsche Telekom’s (DT’s) domestic operations, E-Plus approaches the firm, it would enter into talks with the Netherlands-based company as DT has shown in many aspects that it is open to cooperation and it has done network sharing in rolling out of the fixed network.