BREKO criticizes the Federal Network Agency’s decision on empty conduit fees
Berlin, 19.07.24 – The Federal Network Agency today decided on the level of fees for the use of Telekom’s construction facilities. Sven Knapp, Head of the Capital Office at the German Broadband Association (BREKO), explains:
“The fees set by the Federal Network Agency are not a market price, but exclusively a decision vis-à-vis the market-dominant company. The special market position of Deutsche Telekom, the proportion of depreciated existing infrastructure, the considerable scaling advantages and the regulatory obligations of a market-dominant company play a key role here.
The Federal Network Agency’s decision must not result in a market price. Such a development would be very damaging for investments in new fiber optic networks by Telekom’s competitors, which could not be amortized on the basis of regulated fees. As BREKO, we have spoken out against regulated duct access from the outset and are therefore critical of today’s decision.”
About BREKO
As the leading fibre association with more than 540 member companies, the German Broadband Association (BREKO) promotes competition in the German telecommunications market. Its members are clearly committed to future-proof fibre networks and are responsible for more than half of the deployment of fibre connections in Germany. In 2024, they invested 4.9 billion euros for this purpose. Further information can be found at brekoverband.de/en.
