New impetus for fiber optic expansion in NRW: BREKO regional group starts work

BREKO strengthens work at state level
Ninth state group founded in NRW
Deutsche Glasfaser appoints state representative

Bonn, 25.01.2021 In order to further promote fiber optic expansion at state level, the German Broadband Association (BREKO) is strengthening its state policy division with a new state group. With almost 40 member companies and an investment volume of 600 million euros, the North Rhine-Westphalia regional group is a strong pillar in the regional concept of Germany’s leading fiber optic association.
The member companies of the German Broadband Association (BREKO) that are expanding in North Rhine-Westphalia founded the NRW regional group on January 13, 2021. The association is thus expanding its effective regional concept with the aim of intensifying its work at state and municipal level. Dr. Stephan Zimmermann (Managing Director, Deutsche Glasfaser Holding) was appointed state representative at the virtual founding meeting. Sebastian Jurczyk (Chairman of the Management Board, Stadtwerke Münster), Dr. Sören Trebst (Chairman of the Management Board, 1&1 Versatel) and Robin Weiand (Managing Director, Westenergie Breitband GmbH) were elected as deputy state commissioners. Together, the four company representatives will act as contacts for political decision-makers in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Diverse business models as an opportunity for fiber optic expansion
BREKO Managing Director Dr. Stephan Albers welcomes the diversity in the new regional group: “The companies at the head of the NRW regional group are driving forces behind the expansion of fibre optics – in Germany and at regional level in NRW. I am particularly pleased that there are very different companies at the head of the regional group. The strength of BREKO results from the cooperation between regional municipal utilities and carriers, supra-regional telecommunications network operators and companies that are expanding their main business in the energy sector to include telecommunications, and therein lies the opportunity for fiber optic expansion in Germany.”
Commenting on the goals of the new state group, its state representative Dr. Stephan Zimmermann says: “An important goal of the state group is to further improve the framework conditions for the expansion of fibre optics in NRW and thus drive the expansion forward. Together with the political players, we will work on digitizing and accelerating approval procedures. The recognition of sustainable and fast installation methods as the state of the art is an important building block here.”
Investments in fiber optic expansion
With almost 40 member companies, the NRW regional group is the ninth of the BREKO regional groups. The result of a survey of BREKO network operators from December 2020 shows how strong the influence of regional companies is: BREKO companies active in North Rhine-Westphalia are planning to invest over 600 million euros in fiber optic expansion in NRW in 2021. BREKO Managing Director Dr. Stephan Albers underlines the relevance of the work at state level: “The investment plans of the BREKO companies show how important the alternative network operators are for fiber optic expansion. With the new regional group, we can represent the interests of our members in NRW even better. Fiber optic expansion is taking place locally in the municipalities. The ongoing legislative process to modernize the Telecommunications Act, in which the federal states play a key role via the Bundesrat, will set the course for further expansion this year. We are further expanding our regional concept in order to take into account the specific conditions in each state during the expansion and to shorten the communication channels to politicians.”