The first of a total of three ground-breaking ceremonies in the district of Bad Dürkheim (Rhineland-Palatinate) took place on July 23, 2020, marking the start of the expansion of the broadband network in the district of Bad Dürkheim. Around 11,000 households in three municipalities will receive fast fiber optic connections directly to the buildings (FTTB).
Thanks to broadband funding from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), broadband expansion can be realized in the district. The BMVI has approved funding of almost 24.8 million euros for the expansion of the gigabit-capable broadband network. In addition, the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate will provide a good 19.8 million euros in funding and a municipal contribution of just under 5 million euros to implement the entire project.
Rhineland-Palatinate’s Minister President Malu Dreyer emphasized: “(…) This is how we are making the broadband infrastructure fit for the requirements of the gigabit society so that citizens, companies, schools, hospitals and administrations can make optimal use of the digital opportunities of the future. The numerous digital solutions that have been implemented in such a short time due to the coronavirus pandemic show what is already digitally possible and what opportunities digital innovations still hold.”
As part of the project, civil engineering work will be carried out over a length of 533 kilometers so that 11,279 households, 330 companies and 71 institutional customers, including 61 schools, will be able to benefit from fiber optics directly to the building (“fiber-to-the-building”) once the expansion work is complete – expected at the end of 2021.
District Administrator Hans-Ulrich Ihlenfeld is particularly looking forward to this and comments: “The intensive and time-consuming preparations are now paying off. Thanks to an upgrade in funding from the federal and state governments, we can now connect underserved areas with 1 Gbit/s in a future-proof way. We are also equipping all schools in the district with a fiber optic connection. An absolutely necessary step in this day and age.”
As part of the construction work taking place in the district at the same time, two further ground-breaking ceremonies – on July 30 in Jägerthal and August 4 in Bockenheim – will also mark the important step towards the gigabit future in these communities.
Information on the federal broadband funding program.