Germany’s fiber optic expansion is gaining momentum, with coverage increasing by 9.6 percentage points in the past year. As of June 30th, 52.8 percent of the country is equipped with fiber optic infrastructure, according to industry association Breko. However, the actual connection rate – the percentage of buildings and households actively connected to fiber – rose by a more moderate 4.5 percentage points to 27.3 percent. This represents a gain of 1.4 million fiber optic customers compared to the previous year.
Breko’s market analysis forecasts that fiber coverage will reach between 82 and 92 percent by 2030, with the actual connection rate rising to between 54 and 64 percent.
Competition is driving much of this expansion. Competitors to incumbent operator Deutsche Telekom currently account for 59 percent of fiber deployment across the country, 71 percent of connected buildings and households and 74 percent of active fiber connections.
Breko President Norbert Westfal cautioned against complacency, emphasizing the need for stable investment conditions and fair competition to sustain this growth. The association is urging Federal Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger to develop a strategy for the transition from copper to fiber networks.
Regional disparities exist, with the northern states leading the way. Schleswig-Holstein boasts the highest fiber coverage at 92.7 percent, followed by Hamburg (90.8 percent), Bremen (79.7 percent) and Saxony-Anhalt (70.1 percent). Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt demonstrated the largest gains in coverage area over the past year, increasing by 19.2 and 15.9 percentage points respectively. In terms of actual connections, Schleswig-Holstein (64.9 percent), Brandenburg (47.4 percent), Hamburg (47.3 percent) and Hesse (35.9 percent) are at the forefront.
The study also highlights growing concerns surrounding cybersecurity. Three-quarters of surveyed network operators (77 percent) have implemented measures to enhance their cybersecurity posture. Monitoring systems (86 percent) and employee security awareness training (85 percent) are the most common initiatives. Furthermore, over two-thirds of companies (68 percent) have increased their IT budgets in the last two years to bolster network security, with 38 percent also increasing staffing levels.