The number of users of online communication services, such as messengers and video conferencing services, continues to rise in Germany. This is shown by a consumer survey commissioned by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA).
According to the survey, around 90% (2021: 88%) of respondents use online communication services regularly (at least once a month). According to the BNetzA, the use of such services has thus stabilized at a level comparable to the use of traditional telecommunications services. More than three quarters of interviewees (77%) now use two or more services at the same time, which is known as multihoming. 36% of users even use four or more services. On average, a user regularly uses 3.2 online communication services (2021: 3.1 services).
A comparison of online communication services with “traditional” communication channels, such as telephony or text messaging, shows that “new” and “old” services complement each other. Online communication services are particularly popular in the area of text-based communication. For example, 69% of all respondents stated that they send emails every day and 59% regularly send messages via messenger services. Voice-based communication is also very important, with mobile telephony in particular remaining very popular. For example, 52% of all respondents said that they use their mobile phone connection to make calls every day. Only 39% use their landline every day.
This survey is important in order to identify which services and forms of communication have a particularly far-reaching and possibly market-dominating position in competition. This is because the Telecommunications Act (TKG) has included so-called number-independent interpersonal telecommunications services, such as messaging, internet and video telephony services, in parts of the regulation since December 2021. These must therefore be monitored by the BNetzA in order to be able to take regulatory measures if necessary, should there be market dominance by one or more service platforms.
The report is available on the website of the Federal Network Agency published. It also contains information on the methodology and procedure of the survey.