Broadband expansion is starting the new year with great momentum: dozens of expansion projects from the White Spots program are in or about to be implemented and more and more funding projects in the new Grey Spots program are already in the starting blocks. This is exemplified by the 68 decisions handed over and 21 ground-breaking ceremonies and (partial) start-ups that have been carried out in the past two months as part of the federal broadband and gigabit funding program.
The associated 89 expansion projects alone will provide at least 53,000 previously underserved connections with gigabit bandwidth once all construction measures have been completed. This includes over 48,000 households, almost 5,000 companies, almost 490 schools and 311 institutional customers such as fire departments and rescue service control centers, museums and administrative buildings.
The Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport Affairs (BMDV) is supporting these projects with around 391 million euros from the federal broadband funding program. Together with the supplementary state funding programs and the municipal contributions, the federal government, the states and the municipalities are jointly creating the basis for nationwide and future-proof broadband coverage.
For the expanding municipalities, this high-performance digital infrastructure means a lasting strengthening as a business location, sustainable services of general interest for their citizens and the best conditions for a successful digital transformation.