Gigabit Internet for 60,000 households: Western Pomerania-Rügen in the new digital age!

Gigabit Internet for 60,000 households: Western Pomerania-Rügen in the new digital age!

There is reason to be happy in Western Pomerania-Rügen, because an important chapter in the history of digital infrastructure is now being closed. After more than seven years of intensive construction, the large fiber optic expansion project was successfully completed. Almost 60,000 households benefit from this measure, including 1,800 companies and 80 schools in a total of 56 municipalities. The new connections offer impressive speeds of up to 1,000 megabits per second, also known as gigabit speed. With over 85 percent of residents now having access to at least this speed, progress is clearly noticeable. As the World reported, the total volume of the project is almost 127 million euros and was significantly supported by federal, state and district funding.

What is particularly noteworthy is that Telekom has laid more than 8,000 kilometers of fiber optics and set up almost 1,400 new fiber optic distributors. There is no obligation for residents to sign a contract with Telekom; you have the freedom to choose other providers. Around 70 percent of the affected households have already used this connection, which shows how high the interest in fast internet is. The focus was particularly on so-called “white spots”, where internet speeds were below 30 megabits per second. A new funding project that is already being planned will focus on the light gray spots, i.e. areas with speeds between 30 and 100 megabits per second. In this project, around 4,500 households will benefit from a fiber optic connection, supported by funding of 18 million euros.

Digital progress in Greifswald

Digital progress is also being pushed forward in the city of Greifswald. Over 140 buildings there will be connected to the fiber optic network, and this is more than just a cosmetic procedure. Until now, access to high-speed internet was practically non-existent in some parts of the city. The Vorpommern-Greifswald district is therefore investing heavily in the expansion of the digital infrastructure. The plan is to lay fiber optic cables in underserved districts such as Eldena, Ladebow and Friedrichshagen. A total of around 93 kilometers of cable will be laid, with costs amounting to around 5.3 million euros. Here too, the federal and state governments have contributed their part and are contributing 4.7 million euros NDR reported.

An overall concept for Germany's digital future

The ongoing expansion of fiber optic and mobile networks is not only important in Western Pomerania. The federal government has recognized the importance of these measures and plans to accelerate the overall expansion of the digital infrastructure. A current draft law to amend the Telecommunications Act is intended to ensure that the construction of cell phone masts and fiber optic lines is given more weight in the approval process. This was done by the Federal Government which points out that high-performance networks are crucial in crisis situations. Currently, 76.5 percent of households in Germany are already supplied with gigabit connections, and over 35 percent have fiber optic connections.

Developments like these clearly show how important and forward-looking the expansion of the digital infrastructure is. Comprehensive access to high-quality internet connections not only increases the quality of life, but also creates the conditions for economic growth and innovation in the region. Vorpommern-Rügen is doing really good business here and is setting standards for the digital future throughout the country.