The largest European economy has serious coverage issues, and not just in isolated areas but also in large cities such as Berlin and Munich. A study found that mobile networks run at speeds slower than in Albania
Germany has a cultural problem of deeply ingrained technophobia when it comes to all things computers. Any technology that’s not absolutely dumbed down to the point a trained monkey could operate it, is seen as too complicated. And the political and managerial caste running this real life absurd comedy show are used to dictating E-Mails to their secretary rather than dealing with the “complicated technology” of writing it themselves…
You can’t expect from people like that to possibly grasp the complexity of the difference between a slow connection and a slow device.
Am German and have been living in Germany for more than 4 decades by now. Couldn’t help but making some observations. Even though I’d rather not have for my sanity’s sake.
That’s right, and we have a lot of old people in key positions making decisions about technological advances. The infrastructure is quite poor compared to other countries. Mobile data is still very expensive in Germany. The list goes on…
3G shut off some years ago. It’s 2G which is still around mostly for emergency purposes, slated to shut down 2028-2030. Companies really don’t like wasting frequency bands on old standards but you can’t just cut off e.g. car and elevator emergency phones.
All German providers had it shut down by 2021, Denmark by 2023, so best explanation that I have is that some 4G stuff got reported as 3G by your phone, the terminology isn’t unified and in particular there’s a “maximum bandwidth” definition around which your phone might’ve used, not everything that’s 4G from a technical POV is actually fast enough to fulfil that definition.
2G hardware indeed doesn’t cost the telecoms anything 4G/5G hardware can do 2G just fine, but there’s opportunity costs in the form of underused frequency spectrum. The airwaves aren’t cables, we can’t just run a second one to double the total available bandwidth.
and we have a lot of old people in key positions making decisions about technological advances
My grandma used to say “age is all in your head”. She was right.
If you look at the typical decision makers, they tend to make a distinctly senile impression, regardless of how old they actually are. It’s less the age, and more the utter stupidity that will inevitably develop in a ruling caste that doesn’t need to fend for itself anymore, because they are so filthy rich that they can have all the work done for them by others. It’s a self perpetuating circlejerk of old privileged imbeciles teaching young privileged imbeciles their ways. Of course, all the young imbeciles can possibly learn this way is utter stupidity paired with insane levels of confidence. This is going to work fine exactly as long as the privileged imbeciles treat those who are doing their work for them alright and leave them enough freedom to do their work well. Once they begin treating them badly and start micromanaging, shit is going to go sideways.
Why should it be different in other European countries in this regard? I mean, is there a sociological or cultural reason for this? Or is it simply german grumpiness?
I don’t have a direct comparison to other European countries from day to day up close observation, but the little observation I have tells me that many other countries do have an at least slightly more welcoming culture towards computers and their use. At least there seems to be an expectation to know how to use devices and software needed for one’s work, while in Germany, the excuse “that’s too complicated” frequently flies.
Can confirm. Example: Was on a work trip in Tibilisi, Georgia last year, and 5G coverage everywhere, fiber everywhere, even the smoothie bar next to our site had wireless and usb chargers embedded in their countertops. Free (albeit somewhat clogged) wifi throughout the city. Younger, or far more flexible demographics and mental flexibility and willingness to use technology. No letterbox to be seen as nearly every communication is digital. Getting a SIM takes 5 minutes with digital verification in the shop, even for a German (looking at you, Postident!).
Germany has a cultural problem of deeply ingrained technophobia when it comes to all things computers. Any technology that’s not absolutely dumbed down to the point a trained monkey could operate it, is seen as too complicated. And the political and managerial caste running this real life absurd comedy show are used to dictating E-Mails to their secretary rather than dealing with the “complicated technology” of writing it themselves…
You can’t expect from people like that to possibly grasp the complexity of the difference between a slow connection and a slow device.
Source?
Am German and have been living in Germany for more than 4 decades by now. Couldn’t help but making some observations. Even though I’d rather not have for my sanity’s sake.
That’s right, and we have a lot of old people in key positions making decisions about technological advances. The infrastructure is quite poor compared to other countries. Mobile data is still very expensive in Germany. The list goes on…
I was surprised I found 3g mobile networks still available while we have shut them off in Italy years ago.
5g is almost useless if you compare speed and range to 4g (similar speed with much more range) but 3g is getting old now.
3G shut off some years ago. It’s 2G which is still around mostly for emergency purposes, slated to shut down 2028-2030. Companies really don’t like wasting frequency bands on old standards but you can’t just cut off e.g. car and elevator emergency phones.
It’s perfectly ok to keep 2g for iot devices and they cost nothing to maintain but I’m almost sure I connected to 3g last year in northern Germany.
All German providers had it shut down by 2021, Denmark by 2023, so best explanation that I have is that some 4G stuff got reported as 3G by your phone, the terminology isn’t unified and in particular there’s a “maximum bandwidth” definition around which your phone might’ve used, not everything that’s 4G from a technical POV is actually fast enough to fulfil that definition.
2G hardware indeed doesn’t cost the telecoms anything 4G/5G hardware can do 2G just fine, but there’s opportunity costs in the form of underused frequency spectrum. The airwaves aren’t cables, we can’t just run a second one to double the total available bandwidth.
My grandma used to say “age is all in your head”. She was right.
If you look at the typical decision makers, they tend to make a distinctly senile impression, regardless of how old they actually are. It’s less the age, and more the utter stupidity that will inevitably develop in a ruling caste that doesn’t need to fend for itself anymore, because they are so filthy rich that they can have all the work done for them by others. It’s a self perpetuating circlejerk of old privileged imbeciles teaching young privileged imbeciles their ways. Of course, all the young imbeciles can possibly learn this way is utter stupidity paired with insane levels of confidence. This is going to work fine exactly as long as the privileged imbeciles treat those who are doing their work for them alright and leave them enough freedom to do their work well. Once they begin treating them badly and start micromanaging, shit is going to go sideways.
Echoes of - “The internet is not a dump truck, it’s a series of tubes”.
Why should it be different in other European countries in this regard? I mean, is there a sociological or cultural reason for this? Or is it simply german grumpiness?
I don’t have a direct comparison to other European countries from day to day up close observation, but the little observation I have tells me that many other countries do have an at least slightly more welcoming culture towards computers and their use. At least there seems to be an expectation to know how to use devices and software needed for one’s work, while in Germany, the excuse “that’s too complicated” frequently flies.
Can confirm. Example: Was on a work trip in Tibilisi, Georgia last year, and 5G coverage everywhere, fiber everywhere, even the smoothie bar next to our site had wireless and usb chargers embedded in their countertops. Free (albeit somewhat clogged) wifi throughout the city. Younger, or far more flexible demographics and mental flexibility and willingness to use technology. No letterbox to be seen as nearly every communication is digital. Getting a SIM takes 5 minutes with digital verification in the shop, even for a German (looking at you, Postident!).
Hey at least you are not Japan