Mentions of BREKO in the media in the period from November 9 to December 18, 2024, in chronological order:

Fiber optic expansion: Tough battle for customers
Dangerous dual expansion or infrastructure competition? How Deutsche Telekom and its competitors are wrestling with each other – and politicians are watching. heise online

Bill for accelerated network expansion fails for the time being
Associations are putting pressure on parliament to quickly pass the bill to accelerate the expansion of the telecommunications network. However, there was initially no majority for this. heise online

FDP stops its own law for faster network expansion
The FDP no longer supports the Network Expansion Acceleration Act. The telco industry is partly dissatisfied and partly relieved. Golem.de

What’s next for the Gigabit Forum?
For three years, the Federal Network Agency has been negotiating with representatives of the industry, the federal government and the federal states in the Gigabit Forum on how the transition from copper to fiber optics should proceed. Competitors in particular have complained about the lack of transparency regarding what is discussed in the forum. Now the agency wants to break its silence – and present a concept. Tagesspiegel Background Digitalization & AI (Paywall)

Copper-glass migration: BNetzA shares experiences from pilot projects
After the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) announced at the Gigabit Forum meeting on Monday that it wanted to develop an overall concept for copper-glass migration, it published a final report on a pilot project in three regions on Tuesday. Tagesspiegel Background Digitalization & AI (Paywall)

Goodbye copper cable: migration to fiber struggles with problems
Where fiber comes, copper should go. But how? The Federal Network Agency announces plans and wants to learn from pilot projects. heise online

DSL switch-off tested: An initial conclusion
The switch-off of DSL in favor of fiber optics was tested in three municipalities in Germany. The initial results are now available – but the debate about switching off “copper” continues to gather pace. Teltarif.de

Switching off DSL: Network Agency and Ministry working on a roadmap
The Federal Network Agency has announced that it will develop an overall concept for switching off the old copper landline networks. Deutsche Telekom’s competitors have applauded this. However, the Bonn-based company wants nothing to do with a “general debate”. Editorial Network Germany

DSL shutdown in Germany: what happens now
DSL in Germany is about to be shut down. At least according to those providers who lay fiber optic lines. Now the Federal Network Agency is getting involved. It has evaluated an initial test on the DSL switch-off. inside digital

Disconnection: Can DSL simply be taken away from citizens?
Can DSL simply be taken away from citizens when fiber optic is available right into their homes? The industry associations BREKO and VATM are also taking part in the discussion – not entirely altruistically. Teltarif.de

Telekom to continue copper switch-off next year
Deutsche Glasfaser is next planning a project to switch to the fiber optic network. According to Breko, Telekom will get started in the course of next year. Golem.de

Expert opinion calls for intervention in copper switch-off, Telekom launches
Deutsche Telekom is planning to switch off the first copper networks in 2025, but important framework conditions are missing. The German Broadband Association is calling on the Federal Network Agency and the Digital Ministry to act quickly. WinFuture

Wetterau Digital Summit 2.0: Business & administration go hand in hand
At the second Wetterau Digital Summit of the Hesse Economic Council at the fibre optic company Yplay Germany, representatives of local politics and business met with Stefan Sauer, new Hessian State Secretary for Digitization and Innovation, and Roman Skrodzki, consultant for local politics at the Federal Association for Broadband Communication (Bundesverband Breitbandkommunikation e.V.). Wetterau.news

Broadband expansion: State gigabit funding still in high demand
By the end of September, local authorities had applied for around 7.9 billion euros in federal funding on the basis of the Gigabit Directive 2.0. A good half of this has been approved. heise online

Copper-to-glass migration: Breko rejects Telekom’s criticism
The German Broadband Association (Breko) responded to Deutsche Telekom’s statements during its annual conference yesterday (Thursday). The company had stated that in some cases it was a matter of a “forced change of provider” instead of a migration of existing customers from a copper to a fiber optic network. Tagesspiegel Background Digitalization & AI (Paywall)

Wissing: copper-glass migration “an urgent issue”
The debate about the shutdown of Telekom’s copper network is stirring the industry. The waves are running high – too high, says the head of the Federal Network Agency. heise online

“It’s shocking that we haven’t made any progress with FTTH”
The fact that we are already at the forefront of FTTH “when we have reached 70 percent” shocks Schleswig-Holstein’s Minister of Economic Affairs. Golem.de

Telekom should not be allowed to control copper switch-off
Network operators in the Breko want to have a say in copper switch-off. The aim is that not only Telekom can apply for this. Golem.de

Not just DSL switch-off: Deutsche Telekom brings the end of cable into play
DSL is to be replaced by fiber optic lines in the long term. The technical term for this is copper-glass migration. This would primarily be at the expense of Telekom. However, Telekom is now going on the offensive and is calling for the cable network to be shut down as well. inside digital

Europe resists Starlink boss’s rise to power
Some countries in Europe are not prepared to accept the fact that Starlink is becoming increasingly powerful in satellite internet and that Elon Musk will soon head a Department of Government. Golem.de

Internet via fiber optics: Many DSL users are unaware of these advantages
Internet via fiber optics is difficult. Customers find it too expensive. Homeowners refuse to install it. And fiber optic providers complain that demand is too low. Yet many DSL and cable users are not even aware of the advantages of a fiber optic line, as a survey has now revealed. inside digital

25 years of BREKO: The future lies in cooperation
The German Broadband Communications Association (BREKO) invited guests to the Estrel Hotel in Berlin for its annual conference and birthday celebrations. teltarif.de was there. Teltarif.de

BREKO conference: Wissing pleads for TK-NABEG
High-profile guests come to a birthday party. Ministers dropped by the industry association on Thursday and made exciting contributions. Teltarif.de

Switching off coaxial cable not so urgent
Coaxial is still slightly superior to the classic DSL product, explains the network operator. However, Tele Columbus also wants to switch off the cable network in the future. Golem.de

Strategic fiber optic overbuild: final report is questionable
Is it abusive behavior if a company wants to build a fiber optic network in a place where another company has already built a network or published plans to do so? To answer this question, the BNetzA is collecting reports. However, it remains to be seen whether consequences will follow. Teltarif.de

Fiber-optic superstructure, Telekom DSL switch-off, cable switch-off: Now a word has been spoken!
Things are heating up in the fiber optic industry. People are accusing each other of overbuilding existing fiber optic lines, and Telekom is even talking about its customers being forced to switch providers. Now the Federal Network Agency has put its foot down. inside digital

Fiber optic image: “Out of the DIY store, into the Apple store”
At this year’s annual conference of the German Broadband Communications Association (BREKO), the association’s Managing Director Stephan Albers made no secret of the fact that he does not want to wait for the next government. Issues such as the migration from copper to fiber optic networks must be tackled now. “Telecommunications companies will soon come under cost pressure,” said Albers in Berlin. Cable!vision

Gigabit funding continues – Wissing: “I’m still here!”
At this year’s annual conference of the German Broadband Communications Association (BRKEO), Volker Wissing, still the current Federal Minister of Digital and Transport, is not only on stage to congratulate the association on its 25th anniversary. Cable!vision

Broadband expansion: target not achievable
The market analysis by the German Broadband Association (BREKO) shows that fiber optic expansion is slowing down across the country and that the target of nationwide homes-passed coverage by 2030 is no longer achievable without a political course correction. Municipality21

What can I do to finally get fiber optics?
In Germany, the demand for fiber optic access is increasing – slowly. Is there anything you can do to speed up the expansion in your own neighborhood? Golem.de

Broadband atlas: Fiber optic available to around 36% of households in Germany
How is fiber optic expansion developing in Germany and what bandwidths are available to private households via the various DSL, cable internet and fiber optic technologies in Germany? The latest figures from the Federal Network Agency for the Federal Broadband Atlas as of June 2024 provide the answer. Verivox

Cooperation between Deutsche Telekom and R-Kom in Regensburg
Deutsche Telekom and the regional provider R-Kom want to jointly supply all of the almost 100,000 residential and commercial units in Regensburg with fiber optics by 2031 at the latest. The companies announced this on Monday. They signed a cooperation agreement for the mutual use of each other’s networks. Tagesspiegel Background Digitalization & AI (Paywall)

Fiber optics for 200 municipalities: This provider wants to supply one million households throughout Germany
The expansion of fiber optics in Germany is making progress. Partly because numerous private providers are expanding alongside Telekom. One of these providers has now raised millions of euros from investors. The goal: 1 million fiber optic connections. inside digital

Is the fiber optic expansion stalling?
It is still unclear whether the target will be achieved in the district by 2030, despite many millions in subsidies. Allgemeine Zeitung Rheinhessen-Nahe (6.12.)

White Paper on digital networks: Council opposes Commission plans
Frequency allocation, pan-European operators, fiber optic switchover: Member States argue against almost all points in the Commission’s White Paper on digital infrastructure published in February. This annoys large operators, but there is also a lot of support. The Commission wants to discuss further. Tagesspiegel Background Digitalization & AI (Paywall)

Broadband expansion: EU states warn against rapid copper-fiber migration
The EU Council believes that copper networks could be switched off gradually in order to support gigabit expansion. However, there is still a lot to clarify. heise online

EU Council puts the brakes on uniform switch-off of copper networks by 2030
The EU Council has published its conclusions on the White Paper on the future of digital infrastructure. These include a uniform switch-off date for copper networks and the consumer-friendly transition to fiber optics. WinFuture

Ludwigshöhviertel gets fiber optics
An entire conversion area gets fiber optics: The energy supplier Entega has signed an individual agreement for the Ludwigshöhviertel development area together with the Bauverein and the Hessian Ministry of Digital Affairs for the so-called fiber optic offensive. Darmstädter Echo (7.12.)

Plan for DSL switch-off in 2030: EU Council shows clear edge for copper networks in Europe
If there is fiber optic everywhere, there is no need to operate a separate copper network for DSL. Some experts believe that a specific switch-off date for the old network would be helpful. The EU Council has now commented on this. CHIP

Ruling on frequency allocation: What happens next
The Cologne Administrative Court ruled that the Federal Network Agency was not politically independent in the 2019 frequency allocation. The written reasons for the ruling are now available. The authority must correct its mistakes, demands the plaintiff company. Not everyone agrees. Tagesspiegel Backgroun Digitalization & AI (Paywall)

Deutsche Glasfaser also has copper to switch off
Not only Deutsche Telekom can do this: In the first quarter of 2025, Deutsche Glasfaser will also bring the Group’s copper customers onto the FTTH network. Golem.de

Representing the interests of the region
Sabrina-Maria Geißler, Managing Director of wittenberg-net GmbH, was elected to the board of the German Broadband Communications Association (Breko) at the official members’ meeting, according to a press release. Mitteldeutsche Zeitung (13.12.)

“Concerns of bias are justified”
The reasons for the ruling on the annulled 5G frequency allocation make it clear: the market power of network operators such as Telekom and Telefónica must be significantly curtailed. WirtschaftsWoche

“The air is getting pretty thin”
500 companies in the telecommunications industry that compete with Telekom are represented by Breko (the broadband communications industry association). At the presentation of the latest market study, it warned that the political expansion target of 100 percent fiber optic access by 2030 could no longer be achieved. Telecom Handel spoke to Managing Director Stephan Albers about the reasons for the slowdown in expansion and the situation on the market. Telecom Trade Yearbook 2024 (p. 14-16)

Fiber optics instead of copper: The changing market
The number of providers in the fixed network is more manageable than in the mobile sector, and regional carriers usually do not go through distributors. Telecom Handel Yearbook 2024 (p. 86-87)

Mobile communications, hardware, usage: The year 2024 in figures
Telecom Handel Jahrbuch 2024 (p. 22-23)

Survey on gigabit fiber optics: What consumers really want
A survey conducted by the consumer portal Verivox shows: A lot is going wrong with the marketing of super-fast connections. Flashy advertising promises do not go down well with customers. Yet fiber optic connections already offer the best price-performance ratio. Editorial network Germany

Real fiber-optic municipality: pioneer Borken
With its above-average fiber-optic rate, the town of Borken was awarded the title of Real Fiber-Optic Municipality by the German Broadband Association (BREKO). Mayor Mechtild Schulze Hessing explains the success factors in an interview. Kommune21