Fiber optic turbo for Western Pomerania-Rügen: 1,000 Mbit/s for everyone!

Fiber optic turbo for Western Pomerania-Rügen: 1,000 Mbit/s for everyone!

An important step towards the digital future: The Vorpommern-Rügen district recently successfully completed its fiber optic network expansion project. Around 60,000 households and companies in 56 communities can now look forward to super-fast internet with speeds of up to 1,000 Mbit/s. This project not only covers urban centers, but also brings high-speed internet to rural areas where patience was often required before.

In the last 7.5 years, Telekom has laid more than 8,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable and set up almost 1,400 distributors to improve digital connectivity. “This is the second largest fiber optic project of its kind in Europe,” emphasizes District Administrator Stefan Kerth proudly. This progress is supported by strong funding of 127 million euros from federal, state and district funds.

Freedom to choose provider

Another advantage of the expansion is the freedom to choose a provider: there is no tariff binding to Telekom. This means that citizens can choose their Internet provider according to their needs. This flexibility ensures that everyone can benefit from the new possibilities. 70 percent of households have already decided on a house connection.

With the improved digital infrastructure, new possibilities come into play. Be it for video conferences, streaming, online gaming, home office or homeschooling – the needs of modern users are diverse and the fast-paced internet meets them. Switching to fiber optic cables offers faster and more trouble-free Internet connections compared to traditional copper lines.

Funding and laws are driving expansion forward

The federal government has pushed for nationwide fiber optic expansion through various funding programs and an acceleration law. Federal Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger emphasizes how important efficient telecommunications networks are for the attractiveness of locations. Almost 99 percent of households in Germany already have access to broadband connections with at least 16 megabits per second and around 76.5 percent can look forward to gigabit connections. The goal is clear: by 2030, every household in Germany should be provided with a gigabit fiber-optic network.

The challenges should not be underestimated. In rural areas, investment costs are higher due to lower population density, and deeper construction work often takes longer. But public funding and cooperative models from districts, municipalities and telecommunications companies are working to overcome these obstacles.

Overall, it shows that Germany is on the right track. Fiber optic expansion will have almost doubled by mid-2024 and the EU Commission described the progress as “spectacular”. The ambitious plans for digital connectivity, especially in rural regions, are crucial for the future attractiveness of these areas. The path has been paved and the digital future is arriving - both in Western Pomerania-Rügen and throughout Germany.

For more information about the current status and future strategies, visit the website NDR, Federal Government and BMLEH.