Many issues in Telekom's network are caused by excavators during construction work. But increasingly, extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall or flooding are causing damage to lines. In every case, customers should report the affected connection - either by calling the customer hotline at (0800) 330 1000 or through one of the online channels at http://hilfe.telekom.de.
When customers report a service disruption, customer service first checks whether customer equipment, such as the customer's Router, is defective or whether there is damage to the line. To do this, a test signal is sent through the line. If the signal still reaches the connection, it is an individual service disruption. If the signal no longer reaches the connection point in the building or apartment, the test signal is used to pinpoint the location of the fault in the cable as accurately as possible. Once it has been found, a team of technicians travels to the fault location. Often, an excavator is needed to expose the damaged cable. Replacement parts are then ordered if needed. Depending on its thickness, a cable contains several hundred fibers. If a damaged section needs to be replaced, the technician manually connects each individual fiber at both ends - a process also called "splicing". After the repair, a test signal is sent through the cable. If it reaches the customer, the damage has been resolved.
If needed, after you report a service outage, Customer Service can set up temporary call forwarding to your cell phone so you do not miss any important calls in the meantime. Customer Service provides data vouchers if it becomes clear that repairs cannot be completed within 24 hours. Older adults can borrow an emergency phone for seniors with an SOS button. Customers receive a credit toward the monthly base charge for the period from reporting the outage until repair work is completed.
To better prepare for network outages, customers should switch to a modern Vectoring or fiber-optic connection whenever possible. This is because data is transmitted by light signals in Optical fiber cables. As a result, they are more weather-resistant than copper cables, where data is transmitted through electrical impulses. High groundwater levels are less critical for Optical fiber cables than for copper cables. To ensure that affected customers or, where applicable, their family members can be reached, they should always leave a cell phone number with Customer Service where they can be reached.
