Covers the regulatory core area of the telecoms sector, including expertise in other industry-specific issues and in connection with transactions in the telecoms sector. The ranking also includes two listings of the strongest law firms in regulatory and transaction-related advice.

Baker McKenzie‘s core focus is telecommunications law advice on the development of new business models to telecommunications and IT service providers, among others. Another key area is advising clients such as social media companies in the machine-to-machine communication space, particularly on the specialised topic connected cars. Connectivity service providers for machine-2-machine communication also regularly instruct the team, led by Practice Group Head Joachim Scherer, as well as providers of over-the-top services. The team experienced an increased demand for advice on the European Electronics Communications Code, especially on interfacing transactional matters pertaining to broadband expansion. The frequency regulatory practice includes assistance with 5G frequencies and satellite-based telecommunications, with both infrastructure issues and frequency allocation procedures covered. As part of the firm’s wide international network, the team is well versed in handling cross-border mandates and also holds leading positions in international teams, such as the Communications & Mobility working group, which Scherer jointly leads with counsel Caroline Heinickel. Heinickel is also head of the Cyber Security Task Force together with IT expert Holger Lutz and litigator Heiko Haller.

Noerr continues to expand its regulatory expertise in telecommunications, both in the context of transactions in the technology sector, in IT outsourcing agreements and in e-commerce projects. The team around practice head Tobias Frevert in Berlin has longstanding experience in related mandates, which, in addition to the telecommunications law expertise, also draws on the knowledge of the full-service firm’s other practices. The antitrust, dispute resolution and corporate law teams are of particular importance here. The practice has gained in profile primarily through advising Deutsche Telekom, with advice focussing in particular on the regulation of the bitstream markets, broadband expansion, roaming issues and questions of net neutrality. The firm’s transactional experts mainly advise on matters pertaining to fibre optic and mobile networks. Other key topics are satellite-based telecommunications services and the development of TV platforms. Telecommunications and media specialist Tobias Bosch and associated partner Julian von Lucius (infrastructure projects, telecommunications law, public procurement law) as well as Pascal Schumacher (digital business models, data protection) are other key contacts. In October 2021, regulation expert Frank Hölscher, previously at Dolde Mayen & Partner, joined the team as of counsel.

At CMS, the telecommunications law practice is an integral part of its broader Technology, Media & Communications group. Jens Neitzel and Ralf Dierck in Munich are the team's main telecommunications law experts, their expertise covers matters pertaining to the regulatory space, a large transaction portfolio, but also many years of experience in contract law advice on issues such as access and service agreements, procurement and project contracts or re-seller contracts, as well as forensic expertise in proceedings before the Federal Network Agency, the Federal Cartel Office and the European Commission. A growth area is advice on the application of the European Electronic Communications Code. The German offices are well integrated into the firm's international practice groups, for example on communication, data protection, media, outsourcing and IT, which makes the firm a good choice for advising on cross-border matters.

Dolde Mayen & Partner is one of the market’s regulatory leaders. The boutique, based in Bonn and Stuttgart, is very well-known for its ongoing advice to Deutsche Telekom AG, particularly due to its assistance with contentious proceedings before the Federal Network Agency, the administrative courts and also before the civil courts and the ECJ. In addition to advice on network access obligations and the unbundling of network operators, the firm’s expertise also covers mandates pertaining to infrastructure expansion. Renowned name partner Thomas Mayen heads the team, which also includes the established experts Barbara Stamm and Christian Stelter. Frank Hölscher joined Noerr in October 2021 as of counsel.

Hengeler Mueller 's telecoms practice covers litigation, regulatory advice and transactions. In the 2020 forensic arena, key topics focused primarily on 5G frequency allocation and service provider obligations. In an advisory capacity, the team was particularly active in surveillance issues and the application of the European Code for Electronic Communications, but also assisted with drafting contracts such as roaming agreements and frequency licensing agreements. The transactional strength of the firm was evident in topics such as broadband expansion investments and fibre optics matters. The range of expertise also includes encryption, network blocking and telecommunications law advice on the Internet of Things and VoIP. The team's key players are administration and regulation expert Wolfgang Spoerr, Albrecht Conrad (litigation and transactions) and counsel Fabian Seip in Berlin (contracts, transactions and disputes), as well as Katharina Hesse (corporate law) and Dirk Uwer (public commercial law and regulated industries) in Düsseldorf.

Digital economy and regulated markets boutique Neuland legal, founded in 2017, enjoys an excellent reputation in the market mainly due to the extensive know how of practice head Danielle Herrmann. Together with Stefan Heilmann and Christoffer Bortz, Herrmann covers regulatory advice on traditional telecommunications law as well as OTT services and connected cars. The team acts in a purely advisory capacity but also in contentious proceedings, especially in regulatory proceedings, but also before the administrative and civil courts, as well as associated transactions and is thus among the best regulatory addresses in Germany, not least du to its interface competence with data protection and IT law. Expertise in innovative business models in the area of the Internet of Things and machine-to-machine communication, for example for medical devices and wearables, constitutes another advisory strength.

Pinsent Masons Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater Solicitors Partnerschaft mbB represents a diverse client portfolio, which includes network operators and service providers, local authorities, municipal utilities and other energy supply companies as well as investors. Düsseldorf-based key contact Marc Salevic and his team are among the most active players in the German fibre optic expansion market, with instructions primarily from investors and potential network operators, particularly on NGA projects and their contractual issues, including access, construction and operational issues. The group is active in procurement and regulatory procedures and increasingly advises on convergent services, such as connected cars and smart homes. Data protection issues are another growth field. The firm offers a wide range of tech-based tools, such as legal project management software and cyber attack management software. In 2020, the Financial Times recognised the firm as Europe’s most innovative law firm. Stephan Appt in Munich heads the firm’s TMT group.

GvW Graf von Westphalen, led by Grace Nacimiento, offers regulatory advice on digitisation, machine-to-machine communication, the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 matters. The team’s expertise covers all industries, including automotive, where the topic of connected cars is becoming particularly prominent, and is experienced in supporting projects pertaining to networking and automation of production facilities. A particular strength is Nacimiento’s longstanding experience in space and satellite law, including regulatory support with the development of a satellite communications system; In 2020, she also served as chair of the Space Law Committee of the International Bar Association. Since the formation of the telecoms practice in 2019, the team’s integration into the medium-sized law firm has been very successful. The firm offers additional interface expertise in data protection, litigation, contract law and constitutional law.

Düsseldorf-based boutique Juconomy Rechtsanwälte provides regulatory advice, represents clients in contentious proceedings and assists with transactions. The telecommunications law practice complements the firm’s expertise in telemedia law, competition law, IT law and data protection law. Jens Schulze zur Wiesche, Martin Geppert and Peter Schmitz are the key contacts and, in addition to telecommunications law, are also active in competition and distribution law (zur Wiesche), data protection law (Schmitz) and broadcasting law (Geppert). The firm regularly cooperates with Vienna-based Lichtenberger & Partner.

Loschelder mainly advises on network access and network tariff issues, both in the telecoms sector and energy, post and rail space as sub-areas of the regulated markets group. With Raimund Schütz as head of the practice and Kristina Schreiber, the team acts in both a purely advisory capacity as well as in transactions and contentious proceedings before the regulatory authorities and before the administrative and civil courts. The Loschelder Digitisation Taskforce, founded in 2019, also bundles the firm's industry expertise and handles matters such as the development of digital platforms.

Schalast & Partner Rechtsanwälte offers specialised advice in the telecoms and cable sector. The team handles both advisory and forensic matters, including fee licensing, network access and interconnection proceedings. Antitrust procedures, customer contract matters, compliance audits and a wide range of other mandates in the contract law arena constitute a large share of the workload. The team also advises on data protection, monitoring issues and broadband expansion. For cross-border matters, the firm draws on the expertise of colleagues from the Multilaw network. The legal tech company Clarius Legal is co-managed by the firm and offers legal services and legal tech solutions, particularly to clients with increased additional workloads. The practice is led by Hamburg-based Ernst Georg Berger.