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Fast internet throughout the village: this is how Peiting wants to secure millions in funding for gigabit networks

2021-11-12T09:08:17.207Z


Fiber optics instead of old copper cables: this could soon become a reality in Peiting. It is made possible by a new funding program with which the federal government is helping municipalities to expand broadband. The details have now been presented to the local council.


Fiber optics instead of old copper cables: this could soon become a reality in Peiting.

It is made possible by a new funding program with which the federal government is helping municipalities to expand broadband.

The details have now been presented to the local council.

Peiting

- For years the municipality of Peiting has been promoting the expansion of the high-speed internet in the town.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the connection of businesses and residential units on the outskirts and in the outskirts to a modern broadband supply took place only recently.

370 households will be able to look forward to their own fiber optic cable after the work is completed in autumn 2022.

On the other hand, one can only dream of surfing speeds in the gigabit range that are possible in the town.

It is true that here too the supply has improved as a result of the expansion in recent years.

But because the data traffic there still runs over the old copper cable, many households have to be content with speeds between 30 and 100 Mbit / s.

Advertised for gigabit guidelines last year

More than a year ago, the municipality applied for the new gigabit guideline, with which the state wants to promote the expansion of fiber optics. The latest meeting of the municipal council dealt with the results of the market research that the Regensburg-based company IK-T had carried out on behalf of the municipality over the past few months. Together with representatives from the administration, the experts determined the current status of broadband coverage. The result: Less than 30 Mbit / s are available at 22 addresses in the municipality, 1128 households have a connection between 30 and 100 Mbit / s. In addition to these, 95 commercial connections are also included in the funding program, on which between 100 and 200 Mbit / s are currently possible.

When it came to financing, however, disillusionment quickly spread.

Because the funding amount in the Bavarian funding program is capped at six million euros, a complete expansion and the assumed costs for the connections would result in a community contribution of around 15 million euros, calculated IK-T specialist Reiner Grasberger.

"That is completely illusory."

The federal government is funding network expansion with a lot of money

But the experts still had a trump card up their sleeves.

The federal government has also recognized the signs of the times and is making funds available for the expansion of fiber optics.

Since August, the Free State has been increasing the funding rate applicable there from 50 to up to 90 percent, explained Karl Manstorfer from IK-T.

The maximum amount of funding in the federal program is also 150 million euros per municipality.

"That is huge."

The big difference was shown in the sample calculation.

Instead of 15 million euros, the municipality would only have to take 1.7 million euros into its own hands.

Even if you assume significantly higher total costs of 29 million instead of 20 million euros, the own contribution will only increase insignificantly thanks to the high funding rates, said Grasberger.

The only downer: the market research carried out has to be repeated again for the federal funding program.

Cable customers look into the tube

As good as it sounded at the meeting: Not all households in Peitingen will benefit from the planned fiber optic expansion. Those who already have a cable connection are left out for the time being. According to the directive, these must not be built over, said Karl Manstorfer. This met with incomprehension in the committee. Herbert Salzmann (SPD) recalled that the TV cable networks were once financed with public money. “It's a shame, but we have to put up with it.” Tobias Eding (SPD) was also surprised by the statement, after all, in every house with a cable connection there is also a copper cable that is actually being replaced by fiber optics. But that is not a contradiction in terms, explained Manstorfer. Where there is already a TV cable, no fiber optic connection is funded because there is already faster internet access. Anyway:According to Manstorfer, the cable network operators have also announced that they will continue to upgrade their network. 

In view of the numbers, the committee quickly agreed to follow the advice of the experts and change the funding process.

"We should jump up there", thought not only Mayor Peter Ostenrieder.

Broadband supply has long been a location factor, especially in the past year home office and homeschooling saw the importance of fast internet.

“We would be stupid if we let the train pass by.” If you factor in the expansion to date, around 2000 of the 3200 households in the community would be supplied with fiber optics.

The rest are either cable customers (see box) or already have a fast DSL line.

The municipality could operate the fiber optic network itself

There was less agreement on the question of whether the market should build and operate the fiber optic network itself or, as before, leave this field to broadband providers.

On the one hand, the first model has the advantage that the municipality can determine how it will be built, said Manstorfer.

On the other hand, the implementation could be realized much faster.

The operating costs incurred would be covered by the rental income for the use of the lines.

And in the end, such a network also represents a “decent value”, the expert pointed out.

No decision was made at the meeting.

Ostrieder announced that both models will first be checked carefully.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-11-12

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