Citizens of Germany will probably only be able to make use of their legal right to “fast” internet with a delay. According to the April 1 schedule available to heise online, the associated “Ordinance on the minimum requirements for the right to supply telecommunications services” was supposed to be approved by the federal cabinet on Wednesday. But nothing came of it, as the exceptions provided by the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) remain controversial between the ministries.
The regulatory authority must specify the right to extended universal service, which is linked to the latest amendment to the Telecommunications Law (TKG), which came into force in early December, in a June 1 regulatory ordinance. Its March draft calls for a minimum download speed of 10 Mbit/s, an upload speed of at least 1.3 Mbit/s, and a maximum latency of 150 milliseconds. This is below the expectations of the Bundestag, which initially saw the required performance “achieved by a 30 MBit product”.
disputed exceptions
In addition, the BNetzA wants to be able to allow lower bandwidth and worse latency “in exceptional cases, if the amount of the expected costs of the connection and telecommunications service and the geographical characteristics justify it”. Broadband associations see this as essential, but many MPs and consumer advocates also resent the clause.
The regulation, which still has to be approved in the Bundesrat and must be coordinated with the digital committee of the Bundestag, must now be approved in accordance with the “Handelsblatt”. go through the cabinet on April 27 or May 4. The town representatives also want to hold a hearing and discuss the project “properly.” The start date of June 1 is in the stars.
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