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1&1 Becomes Germany’s Fourth Standalone Mobile Network as Customers Shift to Its Core

The milestone leaves most connections outside 1&1’s limited footprint running on Vodafone antennas through national roaming.

Overview

  • 1&1 says it has migrated more than 12 million mobile users to its own core, fulfilling the requirement to operate as a full mobile network operator before the December 2025 deadline.
  • The rollout remains modest with a low four-digit number of radio sites after a slow build that started with just five sites in early 2023.
  • Service launched in December 2023 on an Open‑RAN architecture designed to mix components from multiple vendors.
  • National roaming now primarily uses Vodafone’s network, and reporting indicates remaining O2‑based roaming is expected to shift to Vodafone.
  • 1&1 reported mobile customers rising to 12.48 million as EBITDA fell 11.5% to €410 million on network build costs, while Vodafone’s summer‑quarter service revenue rose 0.5% to €2.74 billion largely from 1&1 roaming income.