Gigabit project in the Stuttgart region: scope, area, expansion, and responsibilities

Scope of cooperation

Telekom Deutschland GmbH and Gigabit Region Stuttgart GmbH signed a cooperation framework agreement on May 24, 2019. This agreement governs the joint expansion of the digital infrastructure in the Stuttgart region. The gigabit project focuses on the partnership aimed at upgrading the high-speed fiber-optic network. The region’s goal is to offer internet access over fiber optic to all enterprises through 2025 and 90 percent of households through 2030. By 2025, 99 percent of the population will also be able to use mobile communications (LTE). The plan also envisages the rapid rollout of a powerful 5G network. The agreement is unprecedented anywhere in Germany on this scale. 

Area 

The expansion area covers a maximum of 179 municipalities, of which currently 174 municipalities in the City of Stuttgart as well as in the five neighboring districts Böblingen, Esslingen, Göppingen, Ludwigsburg, and Rems-Murr joined the Gigabit Region Stuttgart. Around 2.8 million people in approximately 1.4 million households live in the conurbation. Some 140,000 businesses are based there.

Expansion

Fiber optic will be upgraded in those municipalities that sign up to the framework agreement and conclude with Deutsche Telekom a detailed agreement on the particular municipal expansion targets. The expansion is due to get underway in all districts and in the City of Stuttgart in the first few years. Deutsche Telekom already made a proactive start on FTTH marketing in 2019 and is in the pre-marketing phase in six municipalities. An annual expansion plan shall specify the areas. Deutsche Telekom will only proceed with financially viable expansion if enough prospective customers opt for a fiber-optic line. Standardized approval processes facilitate and speed up the expansion. Municipal utility companies in the region will also be involved in the expansion plans. Deutsche Telekom will provide the resulting infrastructure to other telecommunications providers under fair, generally accepted market conditions – under the notion of open access. 

Responsibilities: associations and contacts

The Stuttgart economic region together with Deutsche Telekom announced the expansion targets on July 2, 2018. Over the past few weeks and months, special-purpose associations were set up in the five districts Böblingen, Esslingen, Göppingen, Ludwigsburg, and Rems-Murr. These special-purpose associations are eligible for office and prioritize the areas within the districts. They advise and accompany the district authorities as part of the expansion and funding applications. Gigabit Region Stuttgart GmbH (GRS) was founded in Stuttgart on May 15, 2019. 

• The previous broadband commissioner of the Stuttgart region, Hans-Jürgen Bahde, was appointed Managing Director. 
• GRS is made up of the five special-purpose associations, the Stuttgart Region Economic Development Corporation, and the state capital Stuttgart. 
• GRS is responsible for project management on behalf of the region and is the central point of contact for Deutsche Telekom.