The Federal Council's opposition to measures aimed at concentrating the market on large pan-European companies is a strong signal. The EU Commission has not yet provided any argument as to why a consolidated telecommunications market with a few large players would lead to more investment. In Germany, the competitors of the former monopolist Deutsche Telekom were the first to get the fiber optic expansion rolling with their investments and are currently responsible for two thirds of the expansion.

The figures from the Federal Network Agency confirm the trend already apparent in the BREKO Market Analysis 2023: fiber optic expansion is in full swing. The year-on-year increase in the number of available fiber optic connections shows that investments are continuing at a high level. The slight decline in investment in the telecommunications market as a whole probably mainly affects the copper-based bridging technologies DSL and TV cable, whose downward trend that began in 2022 has stabilized in 2023.

The expansion figures from the BMDV underline a trend: fiber optic expansion in Germany is in full swing. This is primarily thanks to Deutsche Telekom's competitors, who have so far managed two thirds of the fiber optic expansion. Although the challenges posed by the shortage of skilled workers, the turnaround in interest rates, increases in construction costs and consumer restraint have increased, they are keeping up the pace of expansion.

With today's proposal, the Federal Network Agency is giving the established mobile network operators Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone two gifts at once - without any compensation for their competitors: in addition to the extension of frequency usage rights, the established network operators will not have to fear any unwelcome competition in the future.

The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs is failing to achieve its self-imposed goal of adapting gigabit funding so that the number of funding applications and market exploration procedures is significantly lower than in the previous year. We are currently experiencing déjà vu here: based on the new regulation, thousands of costly funding applications are once again being submitted, which the federal government has to reject.

Today, Friday, the German Broadband Association (BREKO) celebrates its 25th anniversary. With 487 member companies, including 248 network operators, and teams in Bonn, Berlin and Brussels, the association is a strong network and the central voice for fibre optic expansion and digitalization. Today more than ever, this voice is needed to achieve the common goal: the nationwide expansion of fiber optics throughout Germany.

Whether in terms of approval procedures, dual expansion or proposed legislation: The federal states have many levers at their disposal to improve the conditions for fiber optic expansion in their municipalities. This makes it all the more important to tackle the challenges together now in this new format.

The Federal Network Agency has given Telekom a disastrous report card. However, instead of drawing the right conclusions from the facts available to it, the authority is exercising restraint - as apparently desired by the German government - and continuing to play for time. This reinforces the suspicion that the interests of Deutsche Telekom are being deliberately protected here.

With the German government's goal of a nationwide fiber optic rollout by 2030, the shutdown of the old copper networks must now also be on the political agenda. The German Broadband Association (BREKO) is therefore calling on the Federal Network Agency to develop a clear concept for the transition from copper to fiber optic networks - as an important incentive for further investment in fiber optic expansion. In addition, a rapid shutdown of the old networks would be more sustainable and economical than the parallel operation of two infrastructures.

The European Local Fibre Alliance (ELFA) shares the European Union's ambition to bring fibre to all European households and businesses by 2030. Only fibre connectivity provides true gigabit speeds with the lowest possible latency and energy consumption, laying the foundation for a digital and sustainable Europe. ELFA supports the EU's recent policy initiatives as they provide better incentives for faster roll-out of fiber including reducing the risk of anti-competitive overbuild. ELFA also welcomes the European Commission's white paper for a Digital Networks Act as it would call for implementing copper switch-off in the foreseeable future in a fair manner which avoids distortions of competition. However, it is calling for definite actions to deliver this, as Europe's future depends on fiber networks.