As part of its ongoing network integration programme, Telefonica Deutschland has confirmed it is transferring 7,700 mobile telephone sites – i.e. those sites that are now redundant following the recent integration of the O2 and E-Plus networks – to Deutsche Telekom (DT). In a release, the company confirmed that the agreement supports Telefonica Deutschland’s plan to realise operational synergies from the network integration, and accelerate its LTE rollout programme. No financial details of the transfer, which is subject to approval by the antitrust authority, have been divulged.
‘The agreement with Deutsche Telekom has clear advantages for all concerned,’ said Cayetano Carbajo Martín, the CTO of Telefonica Deutschland. ‘Our efforts for eliminating redundant mobile telecommunications sites will be reduced significantly. In the interest of our customers this allows us an even stronger concentration on the future-oriented LTE rollout.’
Upon conclusion of the network integration, Telefonica Deutschland will be able to offer its customers optimal network coverage with more than 25,000 sites, the company said, adding: ‘In general, dismantling redundant network sites is not only expensive, but also takes time and ties up personnel. Normally, any existing property leases have to be cancelled and equipment must be expertly dismantled.’