First Baden-Württemberg fiber optic forum: impetus for a fiber optic pact in the southwest
Stuttgart, 29.04.2022 At the first Baden-Württemberg Fibre Optic Forum, Dr. Stephan Albers, Managing Director of the German Broadband Communications Association (BREKO), proposed the development of a fibre optic pact for “the Länd”. The idea was well received by those present. In addition, business, politics, administration and trade associations discussed how self-funded and subsidized expansion can be efficiently dovetailed, how approval procedures can become more digital and faster, what contribution modern installation methods can make to accelerating expansion and how network operators, municipalities and municipal utilities can best cooperate in order to jointly leverage synergies.
More than 100 stakeholders involved in the expansion of fiber optics in Baden-Württemberg met in Stuttgart at the invitation of BREKO to discuss the most pressing challenges and new solutions for the expansion of the digital infrastructure in the state.
To kick things off, Albers put his finger in the wound and addressed the comparatively low availability of real fiber optic connections in the southwest: “Baden-Württemberg got involved in promoting fiber optics much earlier than many other federal states. Nevertheless, it is currently in third-last place in a nationwide comparison of fiber optic rates. One of the reasons: Expansion projects take an average of five years with public funding, but only 18 months on a self-funded basis. The 49 BREKO companies active in the south-west are therefore prioritizing their own expansion and are only relying on public funding where there is no other option.” In order to further accelerate the expansion together, the BREKO Managing Director proposed a fiber optic pact in which the state government, municipalities and companies agree on common goals and priorities.
“Providing people and the economy in Baden-Württemberg with fast internet is the biggest infrastructure task of our time,” said Stefan Krebs, CIO & CDO of the state government of Baden-Württemberg, emphasizing the importance of fiber optic expansion. “In order to make the most of the opportunities presented by the digital transformation, we need a fiber optic network that is as dense as possible. Therefore, every new kilometer of fiber optic is an investment in the future of our state.” He welcomed the BREKO’s proposal and suggested initiating the development of the fiber optic pact at a joint meeting in May.
Caspar Preysing, Head of the Gigabit Office of the Federal Government, specifically addressed the great responsibility of the municipalities in his presentation: “The conditions for broadband expansion in Germany are currently ideal. Municipalities in particular are benefiting from this because, in addition to numerous network providers, they also have the choice between different business models. Nevertheless, there are also challenges associated with this – such as the sustainability or quality of the network expansion – which need to be given even greater consideration in the future.”
“Although broadband expansion is not a mandatory municipal task, it is an important municipal issue that municipalities are facing up to,” said Heidi Schmid, Head of Digitization at Gemeindetag Baden-Württemberg. It also depends on the companies: “Together with strong and reliable partners, a lot can be achieved. With a cooperative private sector, clear legal requirements and a funding framework that will continue to be suitable from 2023, the nationwide, gigabit-capable broadband and mobile network expansion can be effectively driven forward with municipal support.”
Using a showcase project from the southwest, Manfred Maschek, Managing Director of Breitbandversorgung Deutschland, explained in concrete terms how important the cooperation of all those involved is for the success of a major expansion project: “The recipe for success for the comprehensive expansion of the Neckar-Odenwald district is close cooperation and open communication with all those involved. This starts with the district administrator, the approval authorities, and extends through the local administration and all mayors to the local citizens.”
Bernhard Palm, Managing Director of NetCom BW, member of the BREKO Board of Directors and spokesman for the BREKO Baden-Württemberg regional group, and Frank Schöller, Managing Director of Stadtwerke Waiblingen, jointly presented what is important in fiber optic cooperations between network operators and municipal utilities: eye level and a partner selection that ideally complements their own strengths.
“As a regional provider, we do face challenges in the construction of future-proof fiber optic networks, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages,” said Felix Stiegeler, Managing Director of Stiegeler Internet Service, emphasizing the relevance of locally rooted players in the self-economic expansion. “We can act effectively, independently of bureaucratic pitfalls in the subsidized expansion and therefore quickly.”
The fiber optic forum was organized by BREKO and supported by the Ministry of the Interior, Digitization and Municipalities of the State of Baden-Württemberg, the Federal Gigabit Office, Ribbon Communications and the Gemeindetag Baden-Württemberg.
About BREKO
Als führender Glasfaserverband mit mehr als 510 Mitgliedsunternehmen setzt sich der Bundesverband Breitbandkommunikation e.V. (BREKO) erfolgreich für den Wettbewerb im deutschen Telekommunikationsmarkt ein. Seine Mitglieder setzen klar auf die zukunftssichere Glasfaser und zeichnen für mehr als die Hälfte des Ausbaus von Glasfaseranschlüssen in Deutschland verantwortlich. Die über 260 im Verband organisierten Telekommunikations-Netzbetreiber versorgen sowohl Ballungsräume als auch ländliche Gebiete mit zukunftssicheren Glasfaseranschlüssen. Im Jahr 2023 haben sie dafür 4,8 Milliarden Euro investiert. Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter brekoverband.de.