Telekom's optical fiber rollout

Optical fiber is the fastest way to transmit digital data over fixed-network internet. It carries optical signals over the fixed network. Customers with a Telekom Optical fiber home connection can currently access speeds of up to 1 Gbps. So that more and more people can benefit from it in the future, Telekom is steadily advancing the Optical fiber rollout in Germany.

After all, Optical fiber technology is crucial to digitalization in Germany.  Steadily increasing data traffic from increasingly complex and data-intensive applications, both at home and in industry, is driving demand for Optical fiber connections.

Telekom continually invests in broadband technologies, including Optical fiber technology. Even today, Telekom's Optical fiber network in Germany alone spans more than 750,000 kilometers. And thanks to the Optical fiber rollout, the network continues to grow.
 

Different options for an Optical fiber connection

There are different ways to connect a customer to the Optical fiber network as Optical fiber deployment progresses. 

FTTX is the umbrella term for the different types of Optical fiber connections, with the X replaced by the respective Optical fiber endpoint:

FTTH: The abbreviation stands for „Fiber to the home“ and provides a direct connection all the way to the customer’s apartment or office space. This option delivers the best possible data transmission performance because the connection uses Optical fiber throughout. Transmission speeds of up to 1GBit/s are currently possible. Thanks to ongoing Optical fiber deployment, more than 8.4 million households in Germany have so far been able to access Telekom’s FTTH network. By 2024, this number is expected to grow to 10 million households.

FTTB: This connection principle is called „Fiber to the building“. With this technology, the Optical fiber line runs all the way into the building but ends in the basement at the network termination point (APL). The individual subscriber connections are then connected using the copper or patch cables that are generally already in place. Depending on the building's infrastructure, FTTB connections can also reach maximum speeds of 1 Gbps.

FTTC: This type of connection is called „Fiber to the curb“. Here, the Optical fiber ends at the distribution cabinet on the sidewalk. Inside the cabinet, the optical signals from the Optical fiber are converted into electrical signals. The final stretch to the apartment is then bridged using the copper cable that has already been installed. Thanks to Vectoring technology, connections can reach speeds of up to 100 Mbps; so-called Super-Vectoring can even provide up to 250 Mbps.

Fiber expansion at Telekom

Telekom's strategy for fiber expansion focuses on building FTTH connections. When expanding the fiber network, Telekom relies on close collaboration with cities and municipalities.

Before construction begins, Telekom assesses the situation in each city or municipality. With artificial intelligence, this process is already significantly accelerated in many places, with the T-Car, for example, optimizing land surveying and helping ensure installation routes are as short and straightforward as possible.

Even so, fiber rollout continues to face delays. These are often due to significant bureaucratic hurdles and the reliance on costly, time-consuming civil engineering methods.

Telekom regularly evaluates new methods for fiber rollout. They could make further expansion considerably more time- and cost-efficient. This could free up additional funding for infrastructure expansion. One example:  Depending on the road surface, minimally invasive milling methods require depths of only 10 to 80 cm. Rather than excavating a trench one meter deep to install the empty conduits, a special milling machine cuts into the road surface. The pipes are then laid in the resulting narrow slot, allowing the milled slot to be closed again in a very short time. Above-ground methods are even more cost-effective and faster. Existing wooden utility poles can be used for further fiber rollout. However, obtaining approval for this in Germany is very difficult compared with many other EU countries.

Current status of fiber rollout in Germany

Telekom has the largest fiber network in Germany. The fiber infrastructure in Germany spans more than  750,000 kilometers.  Thanks to fiber rollout, more than 8.4 million households in Germany can already sign up for an FTTH connection from Telekom. The goal is for all 41.5 million households in Germany to be able to get an FTTH connection by 2030. Telekom will account for a large share of this. But other providers must also do their part. By the end of 2024 alone, Telekom plans to make FTTH connections available to ten million households. From then on, up to 2.5 million more households will be added each year.

To achieve this goal, Telekom has developed a three-pillar strategy for expanding Optical fiber. In addition to self-funded network expansion and subsidized projects in underserved areas, Telekom relies on Optical fiber partnerships in many locations. Partnerships with municipal utilities, regional Carriers, and nationwide competitors such as Telefónica, Vodafone, and 1&1 help make Optical fiber expansion in Germany more efficient and reduce duplicate construction of existing cable systems where possible.

Find the latest news on Optical fiber expansion in our media information.
 

Benefits of Optical fiber compared with DSL

Expanding Optical fiber brings direct benefits not only to individuals and businesses, but also to the environment and society as a whole. Pure Optical fiber connections provide all users with significantly greater transmission capacity and stable connections. These benefits are essential to accelerating the digital transformation of our society and economy.

Benefit 1: Fast broadband connections

The high Data rate of Optical fiber is made possible by transmitting optical signals.  At Telekom, users currently receive speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s.

Residential customers can stream multiple applications at the same time and send larger volumes of data without any issues. For example, if you are in a video conference while working from home and your children are downloading materials for their homeschooling assignments, your partner can still stream their favorite series online without noticeable disruptions. You can also download the latest blockbuster gaming titles in just a few minutes. Optical fiber and its ongoing rollout prepare you for the growing data volumes of many applications in the future.

Businesses also benefit directly from the Optical fiber rollout. With Optical fiber technology, they can speed up their workflows because they can send huge volumes of data in just moments. They can also optimize cloud services and automated machine processes.

Advantage 2: Future readiness

Optical fiber technology continues to evolve, which means data transmission speeds have not yet reached their limits. Under laboratory conditions, new records are set time and again, which businesses and residential users will also benefit from in the future. A broadband connection via a copper line, on the other hand, is limited.

Advantage 3: Stability and resistance 

With Optical fiber, you receive the performance you signed up for around the clock. With an FTTH connection, this is up to 1 Gbit/s. This is also possible with Super-Vectoring. 

Optical fiber is also resistant to electrical interference, enabling uninterrupted transmission. Light waves can transmit multiple signals in parallel without interfering with one another. There are no noticeable losses in Bandwidth, even with large volumes of uploads and downloads taking place at the same time.

Benefit 4: Environmental friendliness

Because optical transmission works without active components, no electricity is needed in the distribution boxes. This is especially environmentally friendly. In addition, Optical fiber takes up less space and is lighter than, for example, a copper cable, making the production of fibers for the Optical fiber rollout less resource-intensive.

Benefit 5: Competitive and location advantage

The Optical fiber rollout gives businesses access to fast internet connections. This makes workflows easier and is therefore essential. On the one hand, production increases because digital processes can run in parallel; on the other, it supports communication with customers and business partners.

Today, Optical fiber is the only technology used in new developments. This creates future-ready infrastructure right from the construction process. New apartments and homes with an Optical fiber connection are therefore more attractive to potential buyers and renters, increasing property values.

To make these benefits available to as many people in Germany as possible, Telekom continues to expand its Optical fiber network. You can find the current status of our broadband rollout in our  rollout tracker.