Trees flank a road in a rural region near the village of Proetzel, Germany. With the next generation of mobile technology, known as 5G, people in rural areas hope for a better Internet connection than with the current 4G system. — Photos: AP
HARNEKOP, Germany: From his home on a former East German army base, Jens Raeder can power up a carefully restored Soviet shortwave transmitter and communicate with military radio enthusiasts around the world.
Getting a signal on his smartphone is a different matter, however. To connect to the mobile network, Raeder has to drive five kilometers (3 miles) to a nearby village with a cell tower.
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