Ever-increasing demands on the performance of mobile communications networks necessitate the construction of additional mobile communications masts and the expansion of existing ones. In the city of Hof, too, as a media, university and business location, comprehensive expansion is essential.

Although cell phones are often used without hesitation, there are also skeptical voices among the population regarding cell phone transmitters. In order to be able to accompany the expansion of cell phone networks in a meaningful way, the city of Hof relies on close cooperation with the operating companies. Coordination talks between the operating companies and the administration take place in continuous meetings, the so-called "Mobile Radio Round Table".

When this "Mobile Communications Round Table" was set up, citizens were initially also invited to support the city in its search for suitable sites. Unfortunately, this offer was not accepted on a permanent basis.

In order to control the network expansion, the city of Hof provides suitable own land and buildings for the installation of antenna systems. Buildings with sensitive use - such as daycare centers and schools - remain excluded.

The discussions are based, on the one hand, on the so-called "voluntary commitment of the mobile network operators" and, on the other hand, on the "Agreement on the exchange of information and the participation of municipalities in the expansion of mobile networks".

In the voluntary commitment, the mobile network operators have agreed, among other things, to inform the population and the municipalities about the locations of transmitters and to give priority to examining alternative locations, especially in the case of kindergartens and schools. You can also contact the mobile network operators directly if you have any questions about the locations of mobile network transmitters. You can find the text of the self-commitment at the Informationszentrum Mobilfunk as a Word document.

The "Agreement on the exchange of information and the participation of municipalities in the expansion of mobile networks" is further specified between the German Association of Cities and the mobile network operators. You can download this agreement as a pdf file here.