Federal Network Agency
Internet supply to a household ordered for the first time
The “right to fast internet” has existed since the end of 2021 and is intended to benefit people in rural areas. photo
© Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Fast internet is a must for many citizens in the digital age. But in some places the pace is still snail-paced. Now, for the first time, an authority is ordering supplies to be provided to a household.
The affected household refers to the “right to fast internet”, which has existed since the end of 2021 and is intended to bring something to people in rural areas. However, the legally guaranteed line is not really fast; the download speed must be at least 10 megabits per second, the upload speed must be 1.7 megabits and the latency (response time) must be a maximum of 150 milliseconds. These values are low. In some places, however, this range represents a significant improvement in the current situation. The internet must be “affordable”, according to the authority, that is around 30 euros per month.
The current decision is the first order of its kind, and others are likely to follow soon. According to the Federal Network Agency, around 130 complaint procedures are currently being examined. According to the authority, there are currently an estimated 400,000 households in Germany that are considered underserved within the scope of the legal entitlement.