The Bundestag's Digital Committee is holding a public hearing today on the German government's draft Telecommunications Network Expansion Acceleration Act (TK-NABEG). Sven Knapp, Head of the Capital Office at the German Broadband Association (BREKO), who will be attending the hearing as an expert, explains: "The parliamentary procedure for the TK-NABEG offers the opportunity to improve the law in key areas. In its current form, the TK-NABEG is largely ineffective."

The political goal of nationwide fiber optic expansion by 2030 is no longer achievable. The BREKO Market Analysis 2024 clearly shows that the expansion has already slowed down. This is because Digital Minister Wissing has not yet made any progress on the most important issues of the gigabit strategy for the further expansion of fiber optics.

Today's revelations by the Tagesspiegel show that the head of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) in the person of State Secretary Stefan Schnorr exerted massive political influence on the interim report of the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) on the dual expansion of fiber optic networks. The ministry is thus protecting the interests of Telekom, in which the federal government still holds a direct and indirect stake of just under 28%. As a result, Telekom can continue its strategically destructive dual fiber optic expansion and further slow down the nationwide fiber optic expansion for the whole of Germany. After analyzing the cases of dual expansion reported to the monitoring body set up specifically for this purpose - including by Telekom - the BNetzA came to the conclusion that only Telekom and its affiliated company Glasfaser Plus have the potential to pursue anti-competitive dual expansion with the aim of crowding out other companies.

According to the latest market analysis by the German Broadband Association (BREKO), Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg are far ahead in the expansion of their digital infrastructure. BREKO provides the figures and explains the background.

BREKO supports the clear criticism by the federal states of the German government's draft TK-NABEG. In particular, three fundamental improvements demanded by the Bundesrat are urgently needed so that the TK-NABEG really deserves the name 'Acceleration Act'.

"We warmly congratulate Tomaso Duso on his election and look forward to continuing the very good and trusting cooperation with the Monopolies Commission under his leadership. As an independent body, the Monopolies Commission plays an important role in ensuring fair competitive conditions in the telecommunications market. With Tomaso Duso at the helm, the Commission will continue to provide constructive and important impetus for fair competition that will advance digitalization in Germany."

According to the latest market analysis by the German Broadband Association (BREKO), no other federal state has caught up as much as Brandenburg when it comes to connecting buildings to the fiber optic network. BREKO provides the figures and explains the background.

With the admission of the former monopolist, BUGLAS gives up its identity as a representative of competitors' interests in fiber optic expansion and becomes the Deutsche Telekom Association. Following the withdrawal of its largest member companies, BUGLAS is now dependent on the market-dominating company. As a result, it loses the opportunity to help shape the telecommunications market in the interests of competitors and to position itself on issues that are important for competitors and the nationwide expansion of fiber optics.

According to the latest market analysis by the German Broadband Association (BREKO), Baden-Württemberg is lagging far behind in the expansion of its digital infrastructure. BREKO provides the figures and explains the background.

BREKO congratulates Henna Virkkunen and Teresa Ribera Rodríguez on their nomination as Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and looks forward to future cooperation for fiber optic expansion and competition in the European telecommunications market.