The German government is unlikely to reach its goal of broadband of at least 50 Mbps for all by the end of 2018, warned Green MP Tabea Roessner. According to government figures obtained by the MP, only 75.5 percent of households can receive 50 Mbps at the moment. The remaining 24.5 percent are in the most difficult areas to upgrade, outside cities.
The figures show only one in three (33.8%) of rural households can access broadband at 50 Mbps. States in East Germany particularly have low penetration of fast services. For example, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, over 5 percent of households cannot even get 6 Mbps. The MP noted as well that the federal government does not disclose figures on upload rates, even though these are becoming increasingly relevant for businesses and self-employed persons.
Roessner said the government's subsidies for broadband were not reaching the market fast enough. She called for the next government to focus more on future-proof technologies like fibre. At present, only 7.1 percent of German households have a full fibre connection, putting the country last in Europe alongside Greece. The Green party has proposed the state sell its shares in Deutsche Telekom and invest the proceeds of EUR 10 billion in fibre.
