Overview

• Germany's shift to fiber networks under the EU's 2030 mandate is progressing slowly, as household adoption lags behind infrastructure expansion.
• By the end of 2024, only 5.3 million of the 21.8 million homes with fiber access were actively using the technology, reflecting slow consumer uptake.
• Nearly 800,000 households still rely on DSL connections with speeds under 10 Mbit/s, highlighting ongoing digital divides in the country.
• The Bundesnetzagentur's detailed three-phase plan for decommissioning DSL remains in public consultation until June, with no providers yet applying for phase-2 shutdowns.
• Fiber offers significant performance and energy efficiency benefits, but overcoming regulatory, market, and consumer acceptance hurdles remains critical to achieving the EU's 2030 target.