Landline telephone: Here with a phone book that has also gone out of fashion
Photo: Julian Stratenschulte/ dpa
At first glance, it sounds as if the 1990s were calling and wanting their messages back: more Germans are using the landline network to make calls.
Possibly, however, there are very current problems behind it.
According to a recent survey commissioned by the comparison portal Verivox, 81 percent of those surveyed use a stationary connection.
In 2021, the proportion in the same survey was 73 percent.
For the survey, the market research company Innofact interviewed 1040 people in Germany who were between 18 and 69 years old on behalf of Verivox in May.
One of the questions was: "Do you make phone calls at home using a stationary telephone line?"
Did the corona restrictions play a role?
According to Verivox expert Jens-Uwe Theumer, the development is due to the fact that many people have insufficient cell phone reception at home.
»Mobile phone coverage leaves a lot to be desired, especially indoors.«
The Corona consequences may also play a role: Because people have been at home more in the past two years than before, they have gotten used to using the landline handset again.
Actually, the landline phone has long been considered a discontinued model.
One reason for this is that mobile phone contracts often have a telephony flat rate and consumers therefore use their mobile phones not only on the go but also at home a lot.
And: Even if interest in the fixed network increased again during the Corona period and the associated restrictions, it is surprising that people still use the fixed network telephone more often after the restrictions have ended than during the period.
In a reaction to the survey, Frederic Ufer from the Internet industry association VATM points out that the mobile phone network in Germany has developed significantly.
Many different parameters play a role in the connection in the house, says the industry representative.
»In general, the network will become even more powerful with 5G.«
The fact is that Germany's mobile network still has weaknesses.
But it is also a fact that the telecommunications companies invest a lot of money for better coverage.
This progress is also evident from the documents of the Federal Network Agency.
apr/dpa
