Deutsche Telekom headquarters in Bonn, Germany. Photo: Deutsche Telekom.

Deutsche Telekom, the majority shareholder of T-Mobile U.S., will launch commercial 5G operations in Germany in 2020. Deutsche Telekom Chief Executive Tim Höttges said operations will launch as long as enough commercial devices are available. He renewed a pledge to invest $6.32 billion (5.5 billion euros) a year in building Telekom’s broadband network in Germany, according to a statement issued before a meeting on network strategy to be hosted by Germany’s main industry lobby.

Höttges plans to cooperate in building out Germany’s fiber-optic network, critical both for providing gigabit-speed internet connections and ensuring that 5G services such as networked factories and smart cities can operate. He also invited industry to join in the development of a standardized European 5G platform.

The company plans to host a user conference to assess the demands on its 5G network.