Transparency matters to us
Telecommunications companies are legally required to support security authorities in surveillance measures and to provide certain data. Our commitment is clear: we aim to make our role and actions within this legal framework as transparent as possible.
Deutsche Telekom was the first company in Germany to publish a transparency report in 2014. In 2016, following an analysis of the relevant legal frameworks, we published our first international report covering our subsidiaries. Since then, we have continuously further developed our reporting.
Our current cross-country report provides an overview of government requests received during the past year. These include surveillance measures relating to telecommunications connections as well as requests for subscriber information and traffic data. For the first time, the figures for Germany also include information on network blocking measures.
Measures carried out for law enforcement authorities are based exclusively on clear legal requirements. The respective legal bases and responsible authorities are also part of the report.
How should the figures be interpreted?
The published figures are only comparable to a limited extent. In some countries, for example, only the number of requests is recorded, rather than the measures actually implemented or the information disclosed.
Different categories of data are covered: traffic data (e.g. time, duration, and participating connections) as well as subscriber data such as name, address, or date of birth. This also includes information relating to the allocation of IP addresses.
A single request may concern several lines or data records. In turn, one data record may contain several pieces of information – for example, a telephone number and a device ID. Accordingly, customers with multiple connections may generate multiple data records.
The same applies to mobile location requests: movement between radio cells creates multiple data records. Particularly extensive are radio cell queries, in which all devices within a certain period are recorded – in densely populated areas, this can result in very large volumes of data.
Information on Germany
Our commitment is clear: the highest level of technical security and consistent protection of our customers’ data.
All government requests are carefully reviewed for their legal basis. In doing so, we strictly ensure compliance with data protection and telecommunications secrecy requirements. Surveillance measures are consistently carried out in accordance with the four-eyes principle. Technically, the affected data is transmitted exclusively to the authorized authorities – Telekom itself has no access to communication content.
For the first time, the report also presents measures in the area of network blocking. These make an important contribution to protecting our customers on the internet.
As part of Malware Protection, we specifically block malicious domains and IP addresses used, for example, to distribute malware or carry out phishing attacks. In the 2025 reporting year alone, 21,105,901 domains and 2,193 IP addresses were blocked. As a result, 684,590 customers were actively protected against digital threats. DNS blocking is therefore a central component of our security architecture and helps identify and prevent risks at an early stage.
DNS blocking measures are also implemented in the field of copyright protection on the basis of court decisions and in accordance with the recommendations of the Clearing Body for Copyright on the Internet (CUII). In addition, we implement legally mandated blocking orders relating to youth protection, combating extremist content, and protection against illegal financial services.
Our Security Policies
Our requirements for transparent and legally compliant conduct are defined in binding Security Policies for all companies within the Telekom Group. These policies form the global framework for our actions.
