Slow downloads and dead spots could soon be a thing of the past. In this country, the expansion of mobile phone networks is progressing steadily. Nevertheless, operators in some federal states are more successful than in others.

Large projects for the expansion of mobile communications

In order to meet their coverage obligations in good time, a great deal of initiative is required from German network operators in connection with the expansion of mobile communications. Current information from the Federal Network Agency refers to this.

The documents relate to conditions that network operators such as Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica and Vodafone agreed to in the 2019 frequency auction and which are to be met by the end of 2022.

Ambitious goals

A commitment states that by this time at least 98 percent of all households in every federal state will have access to a mobile phone network with a download rate of at least 100 megabits per second. As the paper makes clear, by January 2022 this requirement had only been met by all network operators in four federal states.
In the city states of Hamburg, Bremen and Berlin, 100 Mbit/s coverage is already 100 percent of all households. With a share of 99 percent, the expansion in North Rhine-Westphalia has largely been achieved.

Different developments in German federal states

In the document, the regulator refers to a cellular coverage in a range that refers to the best and worst coverage. For the state of Bavaria, mobile phone coverage ranges from 88 to 98 percent.
Accordingly, the slowest telecommunications company covers the expansion with 88 percent and the fastest service provider up to 98 percent of the households in the state.

However, the document does not provide any information about which network provider is the fastest and which is the slowest.

In the recent past, however, Telefonica had the greatest difficulties in meeting the requirements for network expansion.

Specifications for federal roads and motorways

In January 2022, no telecommunications company had yet achieved the target of 98 percent in three federal states – in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia. In ten federal states, at least one in three network operators has not yet reached the 98 percent mark. The requirements include that the download of 100 Mbit/s through mobile networks is also possible on all important federal roads and motorways as well as frequently traveled rail routes.

According to information from the Federal Network Agency, the range achieved on the German trunk road network is currently 93 to 99 percent. So far, a level of 90 to 96 percent has been reached on the most important federal highways and 92 to 97 percent on railways.

In the farewell year, the fashion mail order company Ritter brought in 89 million euros. Also: Warren Buffett helps HP shine again and at the same time receives a broadside from Peter Thiel.

Good Morning! While you slept, work continued elsewhere in the digital scene.

The top topics:

The former Zalando co-boss Rubin Ritter received 89 million euros as a farewell. The fashion mail-order business listed in the Dax “goldened” him last year. Rubin Ritter has not been with the company since June. He first announced his departure in December 2020. At the time, Ritter said he wanted to take more care of his family. From now on, his wife’s career should have priority. Gründerszene already reported last year how he was building a future as an investor in the background.

The Zalando annual report now showed Ritter’s generous remuneration in his last year of work. The lion’s share of the 89 million euros was attributable to stock options that Ritter received in 2011, 2013 and 2014, in part before the Zalando IPO in 2014. Ritter still exercised some of the options worth 42.5 million euros before he left Zalando, he later earned a further 46.6 million from it. [Mehr bei Handelsblatt]

on Founder scene: Flixbus is one of the best-known companies in the German tech industry. The Founders Daniel Krauss, André Schwämmlein and Jochen Engert have also become rich themselves with the bus company. With their money, the people of Munich have financed an amazing portfolio of startups over the years. Your strategy is simple. [Mehr bei Gründerszene+]

And here are the other headlines of the night:

the HPstock had just seen its best day in more than two years, and Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway has become almost 650 million dollars richer as a result. After Berkshire announced its ownership of 121 million shares in the PC and printer manufacturer on Wednesday, identifying itself as HP’s largest shareholder, the stock exploded. HP’s shares rose 15 percent Thursday, taking the value of Berkshire’s stake to $4.85 billion from $4.2 billion. [Mehr bei CNBC und Reuters]

Cryptocurrencies: Although the HP message shows the importance Warren Buffett still has in the financial scene, the German-born US investor Peter Thiel allowed himself a broadside against the 91-year-old. For example, Thiel said at a Bitcoin conference on Thursday that Warren Buffett is one of the crypto movement’s biggest opponents: “Enemy number one,” Thiel told a booing crowd in Miami, is “the sociopathic grandpa from Omaha.” Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is located in Omaha. Thiel also named JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and Blackrock CEO Larry Fink as opponents of digital currencies. [Mehr bei Bloomberg und CNBC]

eToro has unveiled a $20 million fund to buy NFTs and support producers. The trading platform announced the launch Thursday at The Bass, a contemporary art museum in Miami. The trading platform’s fund is part of a new initiative called eToro.art that aims to support NFT creators and brands. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are digital assets that represent real-world objects — like art, music, real estate, and more — and cannot be replicated. [Mehr bei CNBC]

JD.com-Founder Richard Liu has resigned as CEO of the Chinese e-commerce company. Xu Lei, President of JD.com, will assume the CEO position effective immediately and join the company’s Board of Directors. It is JD.com’s second management change in the past seven months. In September, Xu Lei was appointed president after stepping down as head of JD.com’s retail operations. Liu has kept a low profile on JD.com in recent years since he was accused of rape in 2018, an allegation he has denied. [Mehr bei Bloomberg und CNBC]

Bolta US company that provides checkout software, announced on Thursday that it has launched the startup Wyre will buy up. With the acquisition, Bolt aims to enable its customers to make crypto payments via its checkout technology in the future. Bolt is set to pay $1.5 billion for the firm, which offers blockchain software that allows traders to accept cryptocurrency in the form of a cash and stock deal. The deal, which is expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of this year, comes five months after Bolt acquired Swedish company Tipser. [Mehr bei The Information]

Our reading tip on Gründerszene: Serial investor and Amorelie founder Lea-Sophie Cramer has seen many pitch decks in her life. Cramer is one of the most active business angels in Germany. In the Gründerszene interview, she reveals her Top tips for the pitch deck. [Mehr bei Gründerszene]

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Happy Friday!

Your Gründerszene editors

Just leave the car parked whenever possible. Of course, this tip offers the most potential in terms of fuel consumption. However, millions of Germans depend on the advantages of cars.
Anyone who cannot use bicycles, public transport or carpooling as alternatives should therefore drive as fuel-efficiently as possible.

Do without unnecessary transport goods

Specialists from ADAC, TÜV Süd, TÜV Thüringen and Auto Club Europa know a few tips for reducing the car’s fuel consumption. For example, the fuel bill increases due to unnecessary ballast.

An additional weight of 100 kilograms leads to an additional consumption of 0.3 liters per 100 kilometers.

In the city, consumption is particularly high when drivers frequently have to start or accelerate.
If accessories such as beverage crates or sports equipment are not absolutely necessary, the utensils do not necessarily belong in the car. Because roof boxes, carriers for bicycles or roof racks have a high level of air resistance, the fuel consumption of the vehicle also increases as a result.

Bicycles for short distances

Drivers should also consider that the bicycle is a sensible alternative, especially for short distances. Another solution would be to combine several isolated journeys into a longer tour. During a cold start in particular, the engine is dependent on higher amounts of fuel. Gasoline engines in particular depend on a good mixture with more fuel in the warm-up phase.

After the start, rapid acceleration makes sense. But it is just as important to shift up in good time. The ADAC recommends a gear change of 2,000 rpm.
It is important to maintain the driving speed at low speeds while driving. After that, drivers should only downshift if the engine jerks. Some modern vehicles are also equipped with Eco shift recommendations in the speedometer display.

Drive with foresight

Anticipatory driving also leads to benefiting from the braking effect of the engine for as long as possible. In many vehicles, the fuel supply is automatically deactivated during overrun.

In this situation, it is important not to shift out of gear when drivers are approaching a red light or slowly entering a town.

If you prefer driving at a constant pace and without high speeds, you can also reduce consumption. In addition, air resistance affects fuel consumption from a speed of 80 km/h. With an integrated cruise control, the device contributes to a smooth ride on longer journeys.

Shut off the engine if possible

In general, as soon as the car is not driving, it is important to switch off the engine. This recommendation applies to all interruptions that exceed at least 20 seconds. When idling, a vehicle needs about half a liter to a liter per hour.
Some modern vehicles also have an automatic start-stop system. If this is not available, drivers have to turn the key themselves. When the engine is warm, however, the load on the battery and starter is minimal.

Only switch on the most necessary electronic devices in the car

A vehicle also offers savings potential if drivers only turn on the most necessary electronic devices in their vehicle. For example, it is important that convenient features such as seat heating are only in operation for as long as is actually necessary. In return, drivers are well advised to use safety features such as windscreen wipers, lights or windscreen heating as little as possible.

A well-functioning air conditioning system is an extra, the advantages of which most drivers would not want to do without.

However, depending on the vehicle and the technology, an air conditioner needs 0.3 to 1.5 liters per 100 kilometers. That’s why bargain hunters shouldn’t cool down their car too much.

Fuel-guzzling air conditioning

At higher speeds, fuel consumption increases due to turbulent air flows when drivers open the side windows or sunroofs. If the windows are even open on both sides, consumption increases by 0.2 liters per 100 kilometers. At low driving speeds, the method promises a consumption advantage over air conditioning.
In addition, too little air in the tires not only leads to increased fuel consumption. At the same time, drivers have to put up with longer braking distances and poorer driving behavior under these circumstances. Consumption increases by five percent when the tire pressure is 0.5 bar too little. That is why specialists advise checking the tire pressure at least once a month.

Refuel at the right time

Fuel is particularly expensive during rush hour. Fuel is cheapest between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. and between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Price differences between individual providers are sometimes immense. Tank apps that enable price comparisons in real time are a good help.

If you want to save money at the gas station and therefore want to drive abroad to fill up, you should carefully consider how sensible these detours are. Those who live near the border may make a good decision by taking the detour. But those who cover longer distances – exclusively for refueling abroad – may choose a negative deal.

A good IT infrastructure is now an important basis for companies to be able to work effectively at all. Most companies feel safe because their network servers are securely housed in corporate server rooms. However, this assumption underestimates potential dangers that exist for servers in reality.
To make matters worse, important security measures are often taken lightly and are simply not enough.

Different dangers for servers

A hardware server is a physical device that resides in a data center.

Servers are generally considered to be sensitive devices whose functionality is clearly affected by damage events.

If damage is imminent, not only a hardware failure is likely. Loss of data or revenue may also lead to restricted work.

Never underestimate natural events

Due to the steadily progressing climate change, more and more climate catastrophes are occurring, which also affect technical devices. These include strong thunderstorms, hurricanes, flash floods or storms. Avalanches and massive hail events affect technical equipment just as much as heavy rain events or floods.

These natural events can lead to either hardware failure or direct destruction. In a so-called blackout, a complete power failure extends over several hours or even days. In addition, overvoltages or a breakdown of supply lines have a negative effect on the hardware.
Other possible causes of secondary damage events are fire or fires.

Cyber ​​crime and threats of sabotage

On a human level, our world has become increasingly insecure in recent years. A good example is a study by Bitkom, according to which a total of 88 percent of all companies in Germany have been affected by virtual attacks. Cybercrime is increasing significantly.

The damage caused by this is enormous and currently amounts to 220 billion euros annually.

Hacker attacks or DDoS attacks, which are now some of the most common sources of danger, are particularly common. In addition to constantly increasing cyber crime, targeted direct attacks or acts of sabotage by one or more people are just as risky.
These attacks are now affecting organizations of all sizes and across multiple industries. The variety of attackers ranges from radical or extremist groups to dissatisfied employees.

Accidents and other accidental damage

In addition, time and again human negligence or failure leads to hardware destruction or data loss. Cases such as the unintentional installation of malware or unintentional intrusion into server rooms or company premises occur again and again. There are many sources of danger in this area.
It is therefore particularly complicated to protect oneself comprehensively and efficiently against it.

Measures to prevent hazards

Due to the diverse sources of danger, it is imperative to carry out appropriate safety measures and to reduce the risk of possible dangers to a minimum.

If a protection concept does not fulfill the hoped-for purpose, serious data losses or significant losses in sales are very likely.

Despite the extent of the damage, physical hardware destruction is only a fraction of the associated consequences.

Effective fire safety precautions

Efficient fire protection measures are useful for company buildings in order to keep personal injury and damage to property as low as possible in the event of a fire. Fire protection and fire prevention regulations that are common in Germany are very strict in this country.

In order to protect server rooms from fire or fire, these premises must meet far more than minimum requirements. Here it is important to prevent emerging fires with all your might. Therefore, efficient and individual fire protection concepts are necessary, which are developed together with specialists.

Preventive measures against power failure

Power failures are often responsible for so-called downtimes. Typical causes of power failures are lightning strikes, natural disasters or malfunctions in electrical systems.

It is therefore important to always keep an eye on the sources of danger and to protect yourself against them as effectively as possible.

An uninterruptible and powerful power supply is often an effective protective measure that protects against power failure, harmonics, frequency deviations, undervoltage and overvoltage. Depending on the respective individual risk, the use of emergency power systems also makes sense. However, a backup power system is no guarantee for an uninterrupted power supply.

Security concepts for IT security

IT security concepts require ongoing adjustments to any risks that may arise. It is therefore fundamentally important to protect yourself efficiently against software attacks or the network structure itself. This requires powerful protection that counteracts brute force attacks, among other things. Equally important is physical protection of the server room, which, for example, should be strictly monitored at all times.
Efficient access security, which is useful and a deterrent, is just as effective. Another measure is to reduce complex networks as much as possible.

Safeguards against human error

Human error and error are clear threats to servers, the network, and data integrity. Safety training helps prevent configuration errors or accidents.

An important part of the training should therefore be studying the correct behavior in the event of damage.

In this way, the risk of damage is minimized. In addition, server and network operators increase the level of security by effectively protecting server rooms from moisture, dust or temperature fluctuations.
Checking routines to ensure correct maintenance and installations are just as important as regular, efficient data backups and checks on the usability of backups.