Digital infrastructure

We coordinate the expansion of pure fiber-optic technology and the expansion of mobile telephony in Mönchengladbach and implement digital infrastructure and transformation projects for the benefit of companies and citizens.

Modern telecommunications infrastructure is an important location factor for companies and citizens. Our goal is to promote pure fiber-optic technology in Mönchengladbach in line with the city’s gigabit strategy. We are consistently implementing this: Almost all contiguous business parks have now been equipped with the latest fiber-optic technology. Previously underserved districts have been upgraded accordingly, and in new residential areas, too, this is proving to be the only viable solution for the future.

For entrepreneurs, citizens and developers alike, we bundle information, prepare it independently of providers and guide them through the complex picture of supply situations. Via a specially initiated platform, www.gigabitcity.mg, we inform citizens as well as companies and developers in a compact, transparent and advertising-free manner about the current supply situation and enable demand reports, sufficient demand still being the decisive factor for expansion projects.

Through the person of the municipal gigabit coordinator, we are both the point of contact for telecommunications companies, citizens, project developers, entrepreneurs and tradespeople, as well as municipal institutions in matters of gigabit expansion. But we also implement digital infrastructure projects for the benefit of companies and citizens in other areas of the digital infrastructure, such as the city’s own WLAN “MG-WiFi” and mobile communications, and contribute our expertise to the city-wide development toward a “smart city”.

Broadband rollout

The city of Mönchengladbach and the WFMG are looking to promote fibre optic technology across the region. The gigabit strategy paper of the city of Mönchengladbach offers a holistic overview.

Compared with established bridge technologies such as VDSL and TV cable, fibre optic cables have the following advantages:

  • High and secure bandwidth: Gigabit and more, no speed fluctuations
  • Symmetry: Upload speed = download speed
  • Low latency: short reaction times
  • Reliability: fewer disruptions
  • Eco-friendly: less active, power-consuming technology

Fibre optic expansion projects have already been implemented in some towns and industrial estates. Since the laying of fibre optic cables involves significant efforts and high upfront costs, achieving a specific level of demand is crucial for expansion projects.

Mobile phone expansion

Mönchengladbach has a basically good mobile phone coverage. The four mobile phone providers Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Telefonica and 1&1 ensure appropriate coverage. Due to ever-increasing data volumes and the new mobile communications standard 5G, these networks must be continuously densified. Compared to 4G/LTE, 5G has the following additional features:

We coordinate mobile network expansion in the stakeholder network between mobile network operators, tower companies, owners and municipal authorities to ensure good network coverage today and in the future. In order to gain an overview, we record the existing coverage and identify possible radio gaps. We also monitor the progress of 5G campus networks and inform companies about this.

MG WiFi

Since the summer of 2018, visitors to city centres of Mönchengladbach and Rheydt have been able to use the cities’ WiFi networks free of charge. This was implemented following a council decision. WFMG successfully implemented the “MG WiFi” project together with the international WiFi provider The Cloud Networks. In Mönchengladbach the area stretches from the main railway station via Hindenburgstraße, including some side streets to Alter Markt and Waldhausener Straße. In Rheydt, the network extends from the town square in Rheydt via Hauptstraße and Stresemannstraße and then via Bahnhofsstraße all the way to the main station including the crossing. Shops and catering establishments also benefit from the extra service: The marketing concept was developed in cooperation with the city marketing company (MGMG) and under “DeinMG” it provides users with lots of information about upcoming events and about Mönchengladbach’s shops and catering establishments. The installation of the gigabit access points was carried out by several project partners. The WiFi project was also supported by the start-up and digital initiative nextMG, the retail association, the city management and the hotel and restaurant association DEHOGA.