Police savings of €3.9 million through new mobile contracts - Police realize substantial savings of €3.9 million through new mobile phone contract arrangements.
In a significant move, the Minister of the Interior for North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Herbert Reul (CDU), has announced that the new telecommunications contracts for the police force in the state have been secured at favourable terms. These contracts, which were negotiated by the experts of the state administration in Düsseldorf, are expected to result in annual savings of 3.9 million euros for the police in NRW.
Reul stated that the new contracts will save costs not just for the police, but for almost the entire state administration in NRW. The fixed-line contract for the police in NRW has also become cheaper, despite the same provider. This cost-cutting measure is particularly significant in tight budget times.
The re-tendering of telecommunications services for the police in NRW includes better services such as 5G and double data volume for approximately 56,000 users. Starting mid-September, officers in NRW will be able to use the 5G network, which aims to enhance operational communication, data speeds, and real-time capabilities during emergencies.
While there is no specific data available about the direct annual savings related to the 5G implementation, transitioning to 5G in public safety contracts can generate savings by consolidating contracts, reducing latency and service costs, and enabling more efficient technology use. NRW, being one of the largest federal states in Germany, likely participates in federal initiatives to upgrade public sector networks to 5G in line with national telecommunications laws.
The state estimates the additional annual savings for the police in NRW at an additional 4.5 million euros. The Ministry of the Interior in NRW, located in Düsseldorf, is pleased with the new cell phone contracts. The Telecommunications Act amendment approved by the Federal Council in July 2025 enshrines the public interest in network expansion (likely including 5G) in law, although it does not provide details on police contracts or savings.
For precise figures about 5G use by the NRW police and related cost savings, access to NRW government procurement documents or press releases from the NRW Ministry of Interior or digital infrastructure departments that oversee police communication contracts would be necessary.
- The new telecommunications contracts, which include 5G and increased data volume for approximately 56,000 users, could potentially lead to further savings in the annual budget of the NRW community, by condensing contracts, reducing costs, and promoting more efficient technology use in vocational training and data-and-cloud-computing, thereby saving resources in the industry sector.
- The introduction of 5G technology in the public safety sector of NRW is estimated to generate additional annual savings of 4.5 million euros. This technology, which increases operational communication, data speeds, and real-time capabilities during emergencies, aligns with the telecommunications laws of Germany and could be a part of federal initiatives aimed at upgrading public sector networks.
- The decision to switch to 5G networks, with the intent to save costs and improve operational efficiency, could be extended beyond the police force to vocational training programs in various industries such as finance, gadgets, smartphones, and technology, leading to potential national savings and advancements in these sectors.
