© dpa
Berlin wants to go one step further in the expansion of its fibre optic network. Comprehensive fibre optic coverage is now to be achieved by 2028, two years earlier than previously planned.
This was announced by Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey (SPD) after a Senate meeting. Coverage currently stands at 34 percent and has doubled within a year, according to Giffey.
The Senate also decided that the expansion of digital infrastructure for the fibre optic network and mobile communications is now in the overriding public interest. This means that the laying of network routes or the construction of radio masts generally take precedence over other interests that may conflict with the project. This may include, for example, the protection of historical monuments.
A target agreement with the districts is also intended to accelerate the digital expansion, as Giffey explained. This essentially involves them making even greater efforts and in return receiving an additional 30 jobs for these tasks from the state for the years 2024 and 2025. ‘A massive increase in network capacity is essential for Berlin as a business location and its international competitiveness,’ said Giffey. She pointed out that data volumes have recently grown by around 30 per cent per year.
According to Giffey, Berlin has achieved 99.7 percent 5G coverage in mobile communications. This puts Berlin in a leading position nationwide. The aim is to achieve 100 per cent coverage by 2025, in addition to ongoing network modernisation and densification, according to the senator. Giffey put the coverage rate for home internet connections at over 95 percent.