Berlin, 12.02.2025 Today, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMDV) published the study prepared by WIK on demand stimulation in fiber optic expansion through so-called vouchers. Sven Knapp, Head of the Capital Office at the German Broadband Association (BREKO), explains:

“The use of vouchers can significantly increase the willingness of consumers to actively support the expansion of the digital infrastructure with fiber optics.

Fiber optic vouchers issued directly to consumers can be a valuable building block for implementing the expansion quickly and unbureaucratically, especially for projects that would otherwise fall just short of the threshold of profitability. Unfortunately, the study published today does not examine this central area of application of voucher funding in any detail. Every such successful project is one less unserved spot on the map that does not have to be expanded at significantly higher costs and with longer waiting times on the basis of the current gigabit funding.

The targeted use of fibre optic vouchers would also help to focus the existing federal gigabit funding program more specifically on areas with particularly poor coverage. In addition, the goals of nationwide coverage can be achieved faster and more cost-effectively, as the expansion with the support of vouchers would be significantly shorter than the average project duration of the current gigabit funding of seven years. The fact that support on the demand side leads to a significant stimulation of consumer behavior has been shown not least by the promotion of electric cars in recent years. In addition, established processes from similar funding projects are available for the efficient handling of the voucher solution, e.g. via KfW.

The next German government should seize the opportunity and launch a voucher program for fibre optic connections that directly benefits consumers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The study published today confirms that such a program is legally and actually feasible.”