Fiber optic internet is considered the best technology for having fast and stable data connections in the digital age. Germany is a latecomer here, but is now getting going.
The fiber optic expansion in Germany is making rapid progress. By the middle of the year, fiber optics are expected to be available in 18.9 million households, two million more than at the end of 2023, according to a study by the consulting firm Dialog Consult on behalf of the Internet industry association VATM, which was published on Wednesday in Cologne. That’s almost half of the households in Germany. Since the end of 2021, the number of households where fiber is available has roughly doubled – at that time there were only 8.9 million.
It’s about “Fiber to the Home” (FTTH) or “Fiber to the Building” (FTTB), i.e. fiber optics into the apartment or at least into the building. Of the households where fiber optics are expected to be available at the end of June, only 4.6 million use this Internet access and have a corresponding contract. The rest do without it or the fiber optic cables are only in the street but do not yet have a connection into the house. There are noticeable differences in the take-up rate, which according to the study is only 13 percent at Telekom and 35.1 percent at its competitors. According to one of the federal government’s goals, Germany should be covered by fiber optics nationwide by 2030.
Source: Stern
