Unlike the copper market, where the network infrastructure, especially in the access area, was almost exclusively in the hands of Telekom, the expansion of fiber optic infrastructure is being carried out by many different players. These include investor-financed companies, as well as numerous municipal utilities and local network operators, and of course, Deutsche Telekom. This market structure suggests a system of mutual provision of open network access on fair, non-discriminatory terms (“Open Access”).

In the best-case scenario, the provision of “Open Access” leads to a win-win situation between the provider and the demander. The demander can, possibly complementing their own expansion, serve customers outside their specific expansion area through access. The provider can achieve faster and better network utilization beyond its own marketing potential by granting access. The same company can sometimes be in the provider position and other times in the demander position. BREKO supports the concept of a voluntary, non-discriminatory, and fair open network access.