Copper Fibre Migration in Germany

Short Company Introduction

WIK-Consult is a subsidiary of the “Wissenschaftliches Institut für Infrastruktur und Kommunikationsdienste” carrying out research and consulting services for public authorities and private entities in the fields of Telecommunication Markets and Infrastructure, Internet and Data Economy, Postal and Delivery Markets, Smart Energy and Green IT as well as Digitalisation in the SME-sector and municipalities using a wide range of qualitative and quantitave methods such as applied microeconomics and regulatory economics, data science, econometrics, impact assessment, technology assessment and business case analysis.

Workshop Host: Dr Cara Schwarz-Schilling

Cara is Director and General Manager of WIK GmbH and WIK-Consult GmbH, a Board Member of Münchner Kreis and member of the Gigabitforum of the Bundesnetzagentur

Objective: 

Migration to Fibre networks is one of the crucial challenges ahead of us, which is being discussed in Bundesnetzagentur’s Gigabitforum. Different (overlapping) phases can be distinguished (roll-out, voluntary migration, announcement of switch off, forced migration, swich off). Currently pilot projects of Deutsche Telekom are taking place and projects of alt nets are being prepared. We want to discuss how a road map for migration to fibre networks (of the SMP operator as well as alt-nets) and copper switch off can look like and what the main challenges are.

Content of the Roundtable:

1. How to close the wedge between Homes Passed and Homes Connected?,
2. How to accelerate roll-out of Inhouse infrastructure?
3. How to incentivise timely migration?
4. Migration concept
   1. providing planning security,
   2. ensuring competition,
   3. preventing lock-in effects and strategic behaviour
5. Role of NRA, legislator, industry
6. What can we learn from other Member States that are further advanced?
7. Shall a recommended date for copper switch-off be foreseen as proposed in the White Paper of the European Commission?