24 million households still use the slow copper network. Telekom prevents change, criticizing broadband experts. Hope lies on new Merz Minister.
Berlin – France, Spain or Romania: European countries all have at least one thing ahead. The households there are almost nationwide with gigabit connections. Philipp Müller and Franziska Löw from the Anga Broadband Association estimate that the change in Germany will only be completed in a decade. In an interview with the Münchner Merkur von IPPEN.MEDIA Talk about why Telekom plays a crucial role and what you expect from the new Digital Ministry.
Internet problems in Germany: Old copper network is still everywhere-Telekom would have to decide
Table of Contents
- Internet problems in Germany: Old copper network is still everywhere-Telekom would have to decide
- Glass fiber connections for apartment buildings, such as in German cities, are more difficult to
- Minister under Merz: complete list of cabinet – from Klingbeil to “new faces”
- Digital Ministry should present key data paper for copper glass fiber migration
- Fast network, but not on hell come out: tenants and homeowners have to be taken away
Mr. Müller, Ms. Löw: Why does Germany hang behind when it comes to fast internet?
Löw: There are various reasons. One of them is certainly the Telekom copper network. This network still comes from monopoly times and this copper wire is de facto in every household. Now it is the case that this old network will encounter or bump its performance. Many customers are currently making rounds with a 250 Mbit/S connection. But the data hunger is proven to be proven. We will no longer be able to manage these increases with the copper network. A lot has happened since the liberalization of the market almost 30 years ago. In many areas, the copper network would now be superfluous if customers switched to the existing gigabit. The decision-making sovereignty of sending the DSL network into retirement lies with Telekom. And it only switches the customers change when they have expanded glass fiber everywhere on the respective streets and houses.
Is there a quick shutdown of the copper network?
That is the decision of Telekom. According to §34 of the Telecommunications Act, “a company with a considerable market power” must notify the Federal Network Agency at least one year in advance if it wants to take out parts of its telecommunications network or to replace new infrastructures.
Telekom argues that the change must remain voluntary. The copper network is required for the time being to do all households. How many households in Germany should still change the connection?
Müller: There can be no question of “must”, even if some specifically claim that. Rather, around 24 million households who still surf on the slow DSL cup network, in many places have the chance of significantly better internet at constant prices. Realistic is: The Germany -wide change from the copper network to Gigabit is not a project that will be complete today or tomorrow, but should go over a period of more than ten years. It is all the more important that the Federal Government already initiates the right course. An important first step is taken with the decision to take up the topic in the coalition agreement of the CDU, CSU and SPD in the sense of the provider competition and thus to the consumers.
Glass fiber connections for apartment buildings, such as in German cities, are more difficult to
But does every household really need high-speed internet?
Müller: If you ask the generation of grandparents, many are satisfied with 50 to 100 Mbit/s. For households with teenagers who play streams, play computer games and their parents work regularly in the home office, significantly more bandwidth is needed. Slow internet is also one of the biggest challenges for telemedicine, for example, and the older citizens come back into play. Not to mention that fast internet is now equally a decisive location factor for corporations and medium -sized companies.
Are these millions of households primarily in the country?
Löw: In fact, one has to say that fiber optic expansion is sometimes faster in the rural area. This is because single -family houses are easier to connect than the apartment buildings in the city. The question now is how simple and consumer-friendly politics, regulation and Telekom shape the change for the other 24 million DSL households.
Digital Ministry should present key data paper for copper glass fiber migration
How does this tough change affect broadband companies?
Müller: So far, two thirds of the investments in the expansion of faster networks have come from the so -called competitors. It is understandable that the investments made and need to be refinanced. This is the only way to continue the positive development. The nationwide gigabit and fiber optic expansion in Germany does not create a company alone, it only succeeds with all market participants.
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What must happen from your point of view?
Müller: The Federal Network Agency as the responsible authority has presented an impulse paper this year on the subject of Internet upgrades. In our view, too many questions remain open to consumers in Germany. Hope that the responsible Federal Ministry has announced that they want to present key points for an overall concept on the subject of copper-glass fiber migration promptly. For Germany, a reliable, transparent and understandable timetable in a digital future is needed.
Fast network, but not on hell come out: tenants and homeowners have to be taken away
What can or must the new ministry do from your point of view?
Müller: Germany’s first Federal Ministry of Federal Ministry with Karsten Wildberger at the top has made a considerable start. It has legally classified the fiber optic expansion in Germany in such a way that the expansion can be carried out faster, easier and therefore cheaper in the future. However, in the case of the currently planned legal regulations for accelerating fiber optic expansion in apartment buildings, it is important to note that both-Germany’s internet upgrade and apartment building glass fiber expansion-go hand in hand.
State prescribed interventions for both homeowners and tenants do the opposite of what politics and administration want and our country needs so urgently. The credibility of digitization and digital policy in Germany takes incentives instead of requirements and deterrence. After all, whether and how much someone benefits from digitization is becoming more and more a social question. It is politics, administration and the economy alike who have a great responsibility that the social scissors do not continue in digital space.