On 7 March 2018, District Administrator Reinhard Winter (Emsland district), State Secretary Stefan Muhle from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour, Transport and Digitalization, Stefan Molkentin, Regional Manager of aconium GmbH, the project sponsor of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), and Mayor Ernst Schmitz (municipality of Twist), representing all mayors of the central expansion area, gave the starting signal for the broadband expansion in the central district of Emsland with the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony.
The use of modern technologies is intended to open up the so-called ‘white spots’ in previously underserved regions. Once the construction work has been completed, download speeds of up to 1 Gbit/s should be technically possible for over 170 companies in the expansion area. More than 4,000 households will have access to data transfer rates of 50 Mbit/s and higher. “An outdated internet connection is now a knock-out criterion when it comes to setting up a business or buying a private property.
With the new network, we will create a locational advantage that will benefit families, the self-employed and companies,” explained District Administrator Winter. He thanked the federal government and the state of Lower Saxony, which are supporting the expansion across the district with 29.53 million euros (federal government) and around two million euros (state). The remaining 27.53 million euros are being provided by the district of Emsland and its 19 local authorities. For the central district area, the federal government is providing around 8.6 million euros and the state over 631,000 euros for the expansion as part of the federal broadband funding program.
The district and municipalities are contributing around 8 million euros to the total investment sum of around 17 million euros. “The broadband expansion is the right course and priority,” emphasized State Secretary Muhle. He made it clear that broadband was an issue that rural municipalities had to deal with and promised to work on the future funding structure. Fiber optics are an important infrastructure requirement in every home. “We will have the necessity to continue and will continue to accompany the path,” announced the State Secretary. Stefan Molkentin emphasized: “Broadband is an important location factor – the expansion of gigabit networks will be the basis for the prosperity and economic development of entire regions.
The three successful funding applications from the Emsland district are symbolic of the fact that rural areas in particular are preparing for the future to meet the needs of citizens and companies.
Photo: The symbolic ground-breaking ceremony for the broadband expansion in central Emsland took place in Twist on 07.03.2018 together with guests from federal, state and district politics as well as employees of the telecommunications company carrying out the work.
Photo credit: Landkreis Emsland