Summary
Germany struggles with poor internet and mobile coverage, even in major cities like Berlin and Munich.
Despite being Europe’s largest economy, it ranks 56th globally for broadband speed and lags behind countries like Spain.
A 2018 report found Germany’s mobile speeds slower than Albania’s, but officials delayed action. The 2023 Gigabit Strategy set fiber and mobile coverage targets for 2025–2026, but progress remains slow.
Many Germans have grown resigned, despite persistent service issues and growing frustration over the digital gap.
In the 80s there was a plan to roll out fiber optic throughout the country. But media mogul Leo Kirch lobbied for normal cable connections because he wanted his cable network TV to take off. Chancellor Helmut Kohl, his buddy, of course did what he was asked to.
So that today we could have fiber nationwide, but thanks to lobbying we don’t. Thanks to Helmut Kohl and Leo Kirch.
This sounds pretty similar to what happened in the UK… https://www.techradar.com/news/world-of-tech/how-the-uk-lost-the-broadband-race-in-1990-1224784
And in the US. We gave the cable companies free money to build out broadband, and they just… didn’t.
Biden’s 2022 infrastructure bill managed to get fiber built in my neighborhood, so that’s something. The FCC actually building their own map of coverage and holding telecoms to account was pretty remarkable for a minute there.
That’s why it is the way it is. Now why do we put up with it?
Because for 90% of the time since then the same corrupt party has been in power.
The crazy part is most of Germany doesn’t even have cable, at least 40% of the country do only have PTSN connections for slow DSL and Satellite for TV.
So even the plan to bring cable to everyone never came to fruition.
DOCSIS 3.0 cable would be a godsend for millions of Germans.
Speaking about the gray lobby, we could’ve had free energy and cheap internet bills if it wasn’t for these meddling misers in old fossil.
Ultimately it’s because of corruption. When chancellor Kohl was incumbent it was clear that fibre optics is the future. He instead pushed for the technically inferior alternative of cable internet to satisfy his business buddies.
That being said, Germany’s not only lagging behind in connectivity but in digital infrastructure in general. Many businesses and especially the administration are still stuck in the previous century. Plus there’s a considerable lack of IT knowhow (and herhaps interest) in the general populace. Travellers from countries like Estonia or Finland must feel like having traveled back into the past 20 years.
I’m still using a fax machine to send messages to the local government cause they can’t properly handle email yet, lol. Called the hospital the other day due to some info missing on their website. Had a very confusing convo with their staff cause the lady genuinely didn’t understand the difference between a website, a browser, Google and a search bar widget and kept confounding them. That’s where we are at 🤷🏽.
Curiously, the article doesn’t seem to address the question it poses.
Well what options do we have? Elect a government that is not hardcore conservative and/or proud nazis for more than 3 years? Absurd! How could we meet our goals of gassing non-arians again then?
Perish the thought.
For people who haven’t been there it’s as bad as they claim and this is from someone who is used to US cell speeds and pricing. I may as well not have gotten a SIM when I went several years ago. Just absolute trash for mobile.
