The GSM 900/1800 and GSM 1800-only arrangement will change in the decade or so since the German Bundesnetzagentur/RegTP that regulates the license distribution/communications infrastructure plans to have E-Plus and O2 give up some GSM 1800 spectrum in exchange for some GSM 900 spectrum. T-Mobile and Vodafone will get some more GSM 1800 spectrum as well.
Article from Teltarif.de:
RegTP wants to move E-Netz (GSM 1800) networks to the GSM 900 band
Frequencies to be redistributed among the 4 established networks
May 8th, 2005
When GSM was launched in Germany back in 1992, the mobile world was still in perfect shape. The D-Netz providers T-Mobile and Vodafone stayed in the 900 Mhz range and the E-Netz providers E-Plus (1994) and O2 (199
were allocated frequencies in the 1800 Mhz band. But the early estimates of potential users only ranged from 2 million to 10 million were quickly exceeded so the RegTP complied with T-Mobile's and Vodafone's requests for 1800 Mhz spectrum.
E-Plus and O2 to move to the D-Netz
According to a survey conducted by the RegTP, all involved parties would support moving E-Plus and O2 to the E-GSM band which is located just the current D-Netz frequencies. The frequency bands located in the 880-890 and 925-935 Mhz were either used by the military or by CB - Citizens Band - radio.
No definitive decision has been made yet since the changes wouldn't be made until 2016. It is certain that the new frequency distribution will have to be completed by December 31st, 2016. T-Mobile's and Vodafone's licenses are due to expire before that date but would receive an extension to cover that missing time gap. This is the RegTP's way of planing ahead and playing it "safe".
If all were to go the way the Bonn-based agency sees it, then E-Plus and O2 will be partially migrated to the E-GSM band. The new frequencies will be distributed in 4x 5 Mhz blocks (2 for E-Plus and 2 for O2) which is the spectrum request both companies discreetly submitted to the RegTP. In exchange, they would have to vacate parts of the 1800 Mhz band. The vacated frequencies would be kept available for later UMTS-expansion.
Consequences of the frequency redistribution
A frequency migration would make it possible for the E-Netz providers to build out their networks at "normal" prices which would also make the arguments cease that in-building penetration with the D-Netz providers is better. E-Plus customers would have to make sure that they have a dual-band GSM 900/1800 handset. All of this might be unnecessary since times may have thrown these ambitious plans a curveball. Insiders are speculating about whether O2 Germany will even continue its own domestic network build-out by instead expanding their current national roaming agreement with T-Mobile. E-Plus has invested heavily in their long overdue network expansion. Branch insiders are undecided whether E-Plus will continue to expand its own network in areas that it doesn't fully cover yet or whether existing markets should be consilidated since many users repeatedly complain about the lack of "in-building" coverage.
Source:
http://www.teltarif.de/arch/2005/kw18/s17063.html
Updated Article:
E-Plus and O2 will also use the D-Netz Frequencies
-In exchange, portions of the E-Netz will have to be vacated
February 8th, 2006
The two German E-Netz (GSM 1800) providers E-Plus and O2 will be allowed to expand to the frequency bands located below 900 Mhz. Up until now, this band was used exclusively by T-Mobile and Vodafone. The federal Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) confirmed to teltarif.de today that E-Plus and O2 will be allocated spectrum in the 880-990 and 925-935 Mhz bands which were used by the German military that were returned to the BNetzA some time ago.
Both providers will receive 2x 5 Mhz paired frequency blocks but have to vacate 2x 5 Mhz paired 1800 Mhz frequency blocks within a year. This exchange will bring numerous advantages to both providers. This will be exemplified mostly in the countryside where the expansion of the 900 Mhz band covers greater distances than in the 1800 Mhz band. Both providers will be able to provide more coverage with less sites. Customers won't fell this change since almost all users in the 1800 Mhz already use handsets that support the GSM 900/1800 bands. GSM 1800-only handsets will retain the use of the remaining 1800 Mhz frequencies. But both providers can't start the network conversions just yet. Since this is a federally-initiated policy change, this proposed change can still be fought in court. The D-Netz providers made the same change back in 1999, they acquired GSM 1800 spectrum in order to boost their voice network capacity in major German cities.
Source:
http://www.teltarif.de/arch/2006/kw06/s20416.html