Federal Network Agency
Bad Internet? Price reduction rarely used
The internet contract sounds great on paper, but in practice there are major problems? If this is the case, German citizens have been entitled to lower payments to their internet provider since December 2021. photo
© Fabian Sommer/dpa
Consumers are entitled to lower payments if the internet contract fails in practice. But this is rarely asked. Consumer advocates have criticized the measuring tool.
The right to a price reduction in the event of poor internet, which was introduced two years ago, is rarely used by consumers.
While around 108,000 users took the necessary measurements of a desktop app in the first twelve and a half months When the Federal Network Agency started, there were only just under 50,000 in the following ten months (i.e. January to October 2023). The Bonn federal authority announced this to the German Press Agency. Consumers are entitled to a reduction in their monthly Internet price if the performance of their landline connection deviates significantly from the contractually guaranteed quality.
30 measurements in a rigid time corset
For this requirement you need a so-called measurement protocol, which you can get after using the desktop app broadband measurement.de. This in turn is complex; a total of 30 measurements are required on different days in a rigid time frame. Only about one in four users perseveres and completes the 30 measurements that require the computer to be connected to a LAN cable.
The Internet industry association VATM justifies the low number of complaints with the performance of German networks. “Many users start the broadband measurement out of curiosity and end the procedure prematurely because there are no restrictions on Internet use in everyday life,” says association managing director Frederic Ufer. A Vodafone spokesman sees the low number of reduction requests as evidence of the continuous improvement in network quality. There have been massive investments, he emphasizes.
Consumer advocate: Measuring tool is too laborious
Consumer advocates have a different opinion. “Many consumers report problems with their home internet in our advice centers,” says Felix Flosbach from the NRW consumer advice center. “The discrepancy between actual and promised performance is still large, but the Federal Network Agency’s measurement tool is too laborious and time-consuming for most of those affected.” Flosbach points out that you need a LAN cable for the 30 tests. “This ignores everyday digital life: many people primarily use tablets or laptops at home that no longer have a LAN connection.”