On Wednesday, German telecom giant Deutsche Telekom announced that Germany's first 5G network was operational for customers in Bonn and Berlin, albeit with limited coverage, Deutsche Welle reports.
Deutsche Telekom also began selling the first 5G-compatible Samsung Galaxy S10 phones in Germany on Wednesday for around €900 ($1,000), along with unlimited data packets starting at €85 monthly.
Ultra-fast 5G data networks can transfer data at 1,000 times faster than current 4G networks. They are designed for use by self-driving cars, connected factories and smart cities.
Deutsche Telekom said that the construction of 5G network infrastructure would continue in Berlin and Bonn, followed by Hamburg, Munich, Darmstadt and Leipzig. By the end of 2020, the company said 5G networks should be operational in Germany's 20 largest cities.
The announcement comes three weeks after Deutsche Telekom emerged as the highest bidder in a 5G network spectrum block auction by Germany's Federal Network Agency (BNetzA).
During the auction in June, €6.5 billion was raised among four German telecoms. Deutsche Telekom will pay over €2 billion for its part.
Dirk Wössner, managing director of Deutsche Telekom, Germany, said that the company was working to get 5G "on the streets as quickly as possible," adding that the speed of the rollout depended on getting through bureaucratic red tape.
"We need a clear regulatory framework and pragmatism from the authorities — particularly when it comes to regional spectrums, allocation of the auction proceeds, and approval procedures, which takes far too long in Germany."