German gets free network (4)
I believe the answer is:
grid
'network' is the definition.
(grid is a kind of network)
'german gets free' is the wordplay.
'german' becomes 'g' (abbreviation).
'gets' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'free' becomes 'rid' ('rid' can be a synonym of 'free'**).
'g'+'rid'='GRID'
(Other definitions for grid that I've seen before include "Network of horizontal andvertical lines" , "Crossword pattern" , "frame" , "Network of crossing parallel lines" , "Lattice, mesh" .)