Bundesnetzagentur identifies first effective competition in the broadband mass market in four cities
Year of issue 2026
Date of issue 2026.02.25
The Bundesnetzagentur has today published key elements relating to the provisional findings from the analysis of the broadband mass market (Market 1 in the EU Recommendation on relevant product and service markets).
“For the first time we have observed that there is no longer a nationwide broadband mass market but separate, regional submarkets. The main reason for this development is accelerated fibre rollout. The Bundesnetzagentur will continue to regulate any submarkets where effective competition is absent. However, based on our provisional findings, there will no longer be a need for ex ante regulation in Munich, Cologne, Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg
,” said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur.
No longer need for regulation in Munich, Cologne, Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg
The preliminary findings from the market analysis show that the former monopolist Deutsche Telekom now only has small market shares in Munich, Cologne, Ingolstadt and Wolfsburg. The four cities have a high degree of coverage from cable and fibre networks, with most consumers being able to choose from three different access networks.
The Bundesnetzagentur’s assessment of the situation in the Segeberg district in Schleswig-Holstein is somewhat different. Although Deutsche Telekom now only has a relatively small share of the market there, most of the alternative providers’ fibre and cable networks are restricted to small areas and infrastructure competition is not sufficient to withdraw ex ante regulation. The Segeberg district is therefore particularly susceptible to “symmetrical regulation”, where certain obligations apply to all network operators irrespective of a dominant position in the market.
There is no effective competition in Germany’s other towns, cities and rural districts. Here, Deutsche Telekom still has significant market power. The Bundesnetzagentur still considers that a need for regulation in this submarket remains, which means that the dominant undertaking will still be obliged to open up its network for other providers.
Background to the market analysis
The Bundesnetzagentur conducts regular analyses to determine which areas in the telecommunications sector require regulation. Its current analysis includes looking at how strong individual companies’ positions are in the markets for broadband internet access, which includes DSL, cable and fibre access, in all the regions across Germany.
The Bundesnetzagentur first identifies the available products and examines their substitutability; it then defines the geographical scope of the markets. The second step is to determine whether any of these markets require special regulation. If this is the case, the third step is to assess whether one or more companies have significant market power in the relevant market. It is justified to impose obligations on companies with significant market power. These obligations may include granting access for competitors based on approved access charges.
The key elements paper relating to the analysis of the broadband mass market is available to download at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/1095446 (in German). The key elements will be presented to and discussed with market players at a public event on 16 March 2026.
Fibre rollout in Schleswig-Holstein is also the subject of the latest NETZtalk podcast, in which Dr Daniela Brönstrup, Vice President at the Bundesnetzagentur , talks to Julia Carstens, State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transport, Employment, Technology and Tourism in Schleswig-Holstein: www.bundesnetzagentur.de/podcast.