A current market survey for network level 4 shows strategies, obstacles and solutions for the industry. The aim is to enable fiber optic expansion right into the home.
The expansion of fiber optics in Germany is picking up speed, but one central challenge remains: network level 4 – the cabling of buildings with fiber optics to the home. A current market survey, carried out by aconium GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV), examines the specific conditions and challenges in the expansion of NE4.
In an extensive study, more than 30 expert interviews with representatives from the telecommunications industry and the housing sector were conducted to analyze the challenges and solutions for accelerating the expansion of fiber optics within buildings. The study shows that the various players are pursuing different priorities and approaches in some cases, which makes it difficult to coordinate and implement joint solutions.
A key finding of all the stakeholders surveyed: fiber optic-based building networks are the technology of the future. However, the ways to get there and the underlying business models differ significantly. One of the reasons for this is that the greater integration of fibre optic lines on the NE4 requires a fundamental restructuring of the organizational, technical and economic framework conditions. At the same time, factors such as the continued use of existing infrastructures of older technologies, the creation of demand incentives for fiber optic connections among end customers/tenants and the ownership and usage rights of the new in-house networks play a decisive role in investment decisions and financing issues.
One of the biggest challenges lies in the different strategic objectives of network operators and the housing industry. It is not uncommon for different expansion plans to clash: while many housing companies strive for a nationwide coverage approach for their real estate portfolio, telecommunications providers pursue individual expansion plans that do not automatically match the requirements of housing companies.
You can find these and other key results of the market survey here here.