Wiesbaden/Bonn, May 13, 2022 The state government of Hesse has agreed on joint goals and measures with eleven telecommunications companies as well as the German Broadband Association (BREKO) and the Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) to provide the state with real fiber optic connections nationwide by 2030.

The aim of the cooperative agreement is the sustainable digital development of Hesse through a nationwide fiber optic expansion. Specifically, the aim is to achieve nationwide coverage with gigabit-capable Internet connections by 2025 and a real fiber optic connection (FTTH) for each of the three million or so private households in the state by 2030.

In addition to the Hessian Minister President Volker Bouffier, Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus, Minister for Digital Strategy and Development, and initiator BREKO, the signatories of the fiber optic pact for Hesse are the VKU, as well as eleven telecommunications companies, including the eight BREKO members 1&1 Versatel, DB broadband, Deutsche GigaNetz, Deutsche Glasfaser, ENTEGA Medianet, goetel, TNG Stadtnetz and YplaY Germany.

Christoph Busch, Managing Director of ENTEGA Medianet and spokesman for the BREKO Hesse regional group, emphasizes the importance of the agreement for the people of the state on behalf of the signatories of the fibre optic pact organized in BREKO: “The fibre optic pact is a clear signal to the citizens of Hesse: The state as well as the expanding companies are jointly doing everything to ensure that the future-proof and fast fiber optic network is available in every house, every apartment, every school and every company by 2030 at the latest. In this way, we are jointly enabling digital participation, whether in home schooling, in the home office or for games and entertainment.” He is also delighted with the support of Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus in the expansion of fibre optics, especially in rural areas: “The fact that fibre optics will be available nationwide not only in the city, but also in rural areas, is a very special achievement by the Hessian Minister for Digital Strategy and Development.”

In order to achieve the goals of the pact, the state government and the telecommunications industry have agreed on a number of specific measures. In addition, all signatories have made a clear commitment to self-funded expansion: state subsidies are only to be used as a supplement where the supply situation is particularly poor and there is no potential for market-driven expansion. Furthermore, it was agreed to standardize approval procedures for fibre optic expansion across the state, to further develop the GigaMaP online portal, to quickly roll out the digital application procedures developed together with Rhineland-Palatinate as part of the Online Access Act and to organize regular meetings of the signatories to analyse progress on an annual basis and discuss possible measures for optimization. The signatory companies plan to build 530,000 new fiber optic connections in Hesse over the next twelve months and to communicate their planned expansion figures once a year for the next twelve months.

“The presentation of the fiber optic pact by Minister President Volker Bouffier shows how important the topic of digital infrastructure is to the Hessian state government,” commented Jan Simons, Head of State and Municipal Policy at BREKO. “We are particularly pleased that the state government in Hesse has committed itself to the goal of nationwide coverage with real fiber optics and to the priority of private-sector expansion through the fiber optic pact. Both will ensure that we make faster progress with the expansion of fiber optics.”