Again and again, expansion projects are driven more by strategic considerations than by the objective of building a comprehensive infrastructure as efficiently as possible. The federal government should therefore use its possibilities to bring about a change here, the industry associations Anga, Breko, Buglas and VATM as well as the Association of Municipal Companies (VKU) demand in a letter to the Federal Minister responsible for digital infrastructure, Volker Wissing (FDP).
Basically, the expansion could be done quickly: A network operator lays his cables where there are no fiber optic connections, and all providers can then approach potential customers using the tried-and-tested shared use models. Time and again, however, Telekom lays its own lines where, for example, smaller competitors such as Brandenburger DNS:NET or DeutscheOSS have already rolled out lines.
That’s not ideal
So it happens that there are municipalities in which the consumers are supplied twice, while in other areas one still has to wait for a fast network connection. Ultimately, this is not only disadvantageous for the citizens concerned. The money that would be needed for the next expansion projects is also withdrawn from the smaller network operators who do not have Telekom’s lavish capital cushion.
However, Telekom rejects the allegations as exaggerated. This so-called superstructure therefore only occurs in very rare exceptional cases. In addition, competition law prohibits companies from making agreements about the expansion areas. From the point of view of the smaller network operators, the latter in particular is a flimsy argument, since it is a remarkable achievement not to notice when fiber optic networks have already been or are being laid in a municipality.
See also:
- Deutsche Telekom highlights commitment to expansion, competitors complain about blockages.
- The federal government should use opportunities to bring about change.
- Network operators lay cables, providers can address potential customers.
- Telekom lays its own lines where others are already active.
- Double supply in municipalities, others are waiting for fast network connection.
- Telekom rejects allegations that superstructures are rare.
- Agreements on expansion areas prohibited, smaller network operators suffer.
Broadband, network expansion, DSL, cable, fiber optics, cable network, fiber, broadband expansion, broadband expansion, fiber optic network, broadband coverage, fiber optics, fiber optic network, civil engineering, cable drum
