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Gutenstein without a network: Vodafone has been keeping customers waiting for half a year!
Vodafone customers in Gutenstein, Sigmaringen, have been struggling with mobile phone and internet outages for six months. Requirements and prospects.
Gutenstein without a network: Vodafone has been keeping customers waiting for half a year!
An untenable situation is becoming increasingly widespread: in Gutenstein, a picturesque little district of Sigmaringen, Vodafone customers have been cut off from the outside world for around six months. While people here long for a working cell phone connection, the local Vodafone cell site has been cut off. The reason for this is outdated technical connections, which have been causing dissatisfaction for some time. This was confirmed by [Schwäbische]. Most recently, the shutdown of the site was announced – a full three months in advance. But most customers are not sure whether those who are with partner providers such as 1&1 received such information.
The mayor Karin Mühlhans experienced it herself and subsequently decided on a new service provider. “The problems at Vodafone are no longer acceptable,” are her clear words. According to the mobile phone provider itself, Telekom has no such complaints. But what do you do if your own services simply don't work? As RND reports, hundreds of thousands of Vodafone users in several major German cities, including Frankfurt am Main and Cologne, also experienced massive disruptions, which peaked at the end of July 2025. We are talking about outages lasting over 48 hours, while other users also report ongoing difficulties.
Hope for better connections
The duration of these disruptions remains uncertain, and Vodafone is being diplomatic by pointing to ongoing maintenance work that will initially improve the existing infrastructure. Even in the case of Gutenstein, it is not certain when users can expect a recovery. While some customers are hoping for a timely solution, others have been put off until the end of the year. In the medium term, an improvement is planned through the introduction of 4G (LTE) - but without a specific time frame.
The need for a well-functioning digital infrastructure is not only relevant in urban areas. In rural regions like Gutenstein, the expansion is crucial in order to achieve a comprehensive supply of fiber optic connections and modern mobile communications by 2030, as the Federal Government strives for. Disruptions and network problems clearly show the challenges rural communities face. Here in particular, citizens need reliable mobile phone coverage and modern technology so that they don't lose connection.
Local politicians are called upon to find solutions. A new dashboard for evaluating mobile phone and broadband coverage could provide valuable information. Until then, there is only one thing left for Vodafone customers in Gutenstein: wait and hope for an improvement soon.