On 14 January, we kicked off one of the central topics of our association’s work in 2025 with a webinar lasting more than two hours: under the moderation of industry expert Dr. Ernst-Olav Ruhle, CEO of SBR-net AG, seven BREKO companies presented their fiber optic cooperation models. The response was huge: over 180 representatives of the network operators organized in BREKO dialed in. This shows that cooperation and open access agreements between companies are becoming increasingly important for fiber optic expansion in Germany.

Diverse cooperation models

Stadtwerke Neumünster, NetCologne, GELSEN-NET, Westconnect, htp, R-KOM and Stadtwerke Münster (I would do this in alphabetical order) presented their already functioning cooperations in detailed practical reports. The type of cooperation between companies differs significantly from cooperation to cooperation, be it in the division of the value creation levels between the participating companies, in the investment conditions, in the technical implementation or the selected partner companies – from smaller municipal utilities to nationwide fiber optic companies to Deutsche Telekom. This wide range of possibilities shows that there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution, but many different models, depending on the focus and individual strengths of the companies involved. After all, a cooperation can only leverage maximum synergies if the strengths of all partners are optimally utilized.

Company open to individual exchange

“Copying allowed” – this is the motto of all the companies that presented their cooperation models at the kick-off event. They offered interested network operators the opportunity to contact them directly for an in-depth exchange and provided their contact details for this purpose after the webinar. This is the intention behind our new dialogue platform: As BREKO, we want to actively promote the trend towards cooperation by encouraging all companies expanding fiber optics to exchange ideas with each other and supporting you in finding the right model for you.

This is how it continues

The next online event is already being planned and is scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2025. At fiberdays 25 (2 & 3 April, Frankfurt am Main), there will be an opportunity for individual exchange in the “World Café” format on the first day of the fair, as well as a panel discussion on the topic of cooperation models and open access on the second day of the fair at 10 am.