Network expansion Every third German household can use fiber optics
Fiber optic cables protrude from the base of a control cabinet. When it comes to broadband expansion, the situation now looks much better than it did two years ago. photo
© Jan Woitas/dpa
When it comes to digitization, Germany is lagging behind other industrialized countries in many areas. In terms of broadband expansion, however, the situation looks much better than two years ago.
The figures show that fiber optic expansion is making rapid progress after a long period of stagnation. A year ago, around every fourth household (26 percent) had fiber optics in the street, at the end of 2020 the figure was only 17.7 percent. The fiber optic expansion has also contributed to the fact that Germany has now worked its way up to the top of the index for the digital economy and society (DESI). In this European comparison, the Federal Republic is now in 4th place in terms of the provision of telecommunications services. In 2021 Germany was in 11th place.
Fiber optic Internet is significantly faster than connections over telephone lines (VDSL). Although television cables can also achieve gigabit speed, fiber optics are considered to be more stable. If many neighbors surf the net in the evening and stream films, the data transmission rate does not drop as much as with TV cables.
Westfal: Need optimal framework conditions
According to the association, the pace at which further fiber optic expansion will proceed depends on the general conditions. Fiber optic coverage could be between 46 and 60 percent by 2025. Breko President Norbert Westfal explained: “In order to keep up the current pace, however, we need optimal framework conditions for the strong self-financing fiber optic expansion.” The federal, state and local governments should reduce bureaucracy by promoting the nationwide digitization of approval procedures.
Obstacles on the way to achieving the optimal value are also the acute shortage of skilled workers, increased expansion costs and reluctance to buy due to persistently high inflation. “The greatest threat to rapid, nationwide fiber optic rollout is currently the announced or actual dual fiber optic rollout by Telekom.” According to a study by Breko, all non-city states were affected by July 2023.
Telekom always rejects the allegations of double expansion. On the one hand, there are a number of regions in which Telekom’s competitors have laid a second fiber optic cable, although the street in question was already supplied by Telekom. In addition, the market has to endure the competition when several providers compete for customers with their own fiber optic lines at the same time.
dpa
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