Fiber optic competition: Municipalities give up neutrality - five times for Telekom

Created: 12/16/2022, 4:02 p.m

By: Wolfgang Schorner

All mayors took turns signing the “Letter of Intent” in favor of Telekom: sitting on the right is Klaus Kostalek (Antdorf);

standing from right Andreas Obermaier (Sindelsdorf), Hans Lang (Iffeldorf), Fritz Egold (Seeshaupt) and Michael Strobl (Habach);

pictured with Josef Scherl (seated left) and Holger Betz (left) from Telekom.

© Wolfgang Schörner

In the competition for the fiber optic expansion in Iffeldorf, Seeshaupt, Antdorf, Sindelsdorf and Habach, the mayors and local councils have now spoken out in favor of Telekom - and thus given up neutrality.

Whether competitor Avacomm still lays connections in the five villages is still open.

Iffeldorf/Seeshaupt/Antdorf/Habach/Sindelsdorf - For several months, the companies Telekom and Avacomm have been competing for customers in the five villages.

They want to take on the last stage of fiber optic expansion on their own account.

This involves the laying of fiber optic cables in the houses.

There is a fear that the roads will be dug twice if the two companies - as announced in Iffeldorf, for example - do not form joint construction teams.

For a long time, the municipalities maintained neutrality and did not support either of the two companies.

That's different since Thursday: The mayors Hans Lang (Iffeldorf), Fritz Egold (Seeshaupt), Klaus Kostalek (Antdorf),

Andreas Obermaier (Sindelsdorf) and Michael Strobl (Habach) each signed a "Letter of Intent" in favor of Telekom in the Iffeldorfer Bürgersaal.

In principle, this is a declaration of intent to work together.

For its part, Telekom is obligated to lay the fiber optic cable.

According to Josef Scherl, Group Representative for Bavaria, this should happen between 2023 and 2025.

Around 9 million euros would be invested.

It is still unclear how the competitor Avacomm will react

It is still unclear how competitor Avacomm will react: whether it will expand, which of course it is allowed to do, or withdraw, which is possible because the five villages are a rather small market for two companies.

The mayors hope to get clarity on this as soon as possible, and this year.

The company Avacomm, according to Iffeldorf's town hall boss Lang, has announced that it will inform its interested parties in good time if Avacomm does not expand - so that these interested parties can then switch to Telekom.

Free offer: Telekom extended - until the construction crew is there

There is a reason for the rush: Because the offer to lay the fiber optic cable free of charge actually ends on December 31st.

For owners who then sign a contract with Telekom for the relocation, it costs just under 800 euros - at least that's what it used to say.

The mayors thought so too.

At the meeting on Thursday, however, there was a surprising change.

Telekom representative Scherl announced that the free offer will apply until the construction team begins work on the street in question.

Telekom performed better in the list of criteria

On the evening before the signing, the Iffeldorf municipal council had unanimously agreed to relinquish neutrality.

According to Lang, a catalog of criteria from the Bavarian Municipal Council was consulted, and Telekom did significantly better on it.

For example, questions were asked about comprehensive development, minimal disruption to public life, existing empty pipes and an attractive offer.

In Seeshaupt, the unanimous municipal council decision for Telekom was made on Tuesday.

Mayor Fritz Egold said that Avacomm has not heard from Avacomm for a long time, despite inquiries.

He believes that there is greater trust in Telekom among the population.

What his colleague Klaus Kostalek suspects for Antdorf.

As reported, Habach had

previously given a statement by Mayor Michael Strobl and the municipal council for Telekom.

In Sindelsdorf, Mayor Andreas Obermaier also reported that Avacomm jumped off relatively quickly.

Of 5000 households without fiber optics, 4700 can be connected

According to Telekom, the five villages have around 5,600 households, of which around 600 are currently connected to fiber optics.

Telekom can connect around 4,700 households on its own account.

The remaining 300 would have to be connected with the help of government funding.

Group representative Scherl assumes that roughly 80 percent of the 4,700 households are interested.

He said that the connection was free and no product had to be booked.

There is also the option of booking one of three other providers instead of Telekom.