Recent results from the second nationwide mobile network measurement week, which took place from June 24 to July 1, 2026, have been released by the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur). Over 60,000 users participated in this initiative, recording nearly 20 million measurement points using a dedicated app. Impressively, a staggering 98% of these measurement points reported coverage of either 4G or 5G. Notably, the proportion of 5G measurement points has surged to almost 70%, marking a significant increase compared to the previous year. However, the agency did not specify what previous 5G levels were, leaving some questions unanswered. Meanwhile, less than 1% of the measurements were recorded at 2G, representing a decline of 1.24% from the previous year. Consistently, under 1% of the measurement points indicated no coverage—this figure remained unchanged from last year. The participation in this year’s measurement week was notably lower than in 2025, where over 150,000 users recorded an impressive 145.8 million valid measurement points.
High Participation in Nordrhein-Westfalen
The Federal Network Agency’s Vice President, Daniela Bönstrup, expressed gratitude to everyone who participated. “The results of the measurement week demonstrate a significant level of broadband technology coverage,” she stated in a press release. The expansion of 5G networks has made substantial progress. Nonetheless, she emphasized the need to focus on areas where good data connections are still lacking, aiming to facilitate faster mobile access in those regions. With around 1.97 million measurement points operating on 2G, web browsing and email checks were likely challenging.
Measurement Points by Region
Interestingly, Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW), the most populous federal state, also reported the highest participation in the measurement initiative, with 4,219,025 measurement points recorded. Users in NRW primarily experienced speeds ranging from 10 to 100 megabits per second (MBit/s). In comparison, Bavaria followed with 2,473,304 measurement points, but here users encountered significantly more areas where speeds ranged from 0 to 10 MBit/s. This summary offers just a preliminary glimpse into the mobile coverage map. By the end of July, the agency plans to release detailed graphics and tables for regional evaluations on their website.
The Definition of Coverage
It is crucial to understand that “coverage” does not ensure that all users in a specific location can make calls or surf the web without interruption. Instead, it indicates that an area is served by at least one of the four network operators. Consequently, customers on contracts with other providers may still find themselves without service. The Federal Network Agency clarified that the results are not representative. App users do not represent a cross-section of the population, and the measurement points are not evenly distributed across regions. The map representation may not accurately reflect the maximum available network technology in a given area, influenced by factors like device capability and user contracts. For example, users with older 4G-capable smartphones cannot gather data on 5G network coverage.
Factors Influencing Measurement Results
Other significant factors affecting the results include current weather conditions and the speed and direction at which users move through the network cells. Since its launch in October 2018, the official app designed to identify mobile dead zones has worked effectively by storing network availability—indicating the type of connection, whether it’s no connection, 2G, 4G, or 5G—on the user’s mobile device and submitting it to the broadband measurement database. The collected data is anonymized and integrated into the Bundesnetzagentur’s interactive mobile dead zone map, helping to provide a clearer picture of mobile connectivity across Germany.
