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Fiber optic expansion in Waldershof: Project put on hold! What now?
Wunsiedel in the Fichtelgebirge is relying on fiber optic expansion by municipalities, while private projects are paused. Fast Internet for everyone!
Fiber optic expansion in Waldershof: Project put on hold! What now?
The fiber optic expansion in Waldershof, which previously promised to be a promising project, is now on hold. The company Leonet has stopped work, which is causing uncertainty among residents and businesses in the region. Originally, a comprehensive fiber optic network was supposed to supply not only Waldershof, but also Marktredwitz, Wunsiedel and Arzberg.
In Wunsiedel itself, however, things look completely different: Here, the fiber optic expansion is being pushed forward efficiently by a municipal company. Despite the setback for Waldershof, Wunsiedler can soon count on fast internet, which is particularly important since no commercial company was willing to take the initiative. This shows once again how crucial strong municipal support for digital infrastructure is.
The importance of digital infrastructure
The discontinuation of fiber optic expansion clearly showed that the digital infrastructure now plays an extremely central role in the future viability of rural regions. A fast internet connection not only improves efficiency in agriculture, but also creates new jobs in non-agricultural companies. The government has clear targets: Gigabit networks should be available to all households and 5G to all populated areas by 2030 the Federal Ministries of Agriculture, Food and Homeland emphasize.
But what does the reality look like today? The broadband atlas shows that at the end of 2021, 98.3% of urban households and only 82.8% of rural households were covered with a minimum speed of 50 Mbit/s. With regard to gigabit networks, progress still seems to be improving: 78.4% in cities versus only 22.9% in rural areas.
Public funding and support
Against this background, public funding is becoming increasingly important, especially in less densely populated regions. The necessary support should be secured through various federal state programs and through the special “Digital Infrastructure” fund. Funding of up to 90% of the eligible expenditure for broadband and mobile communications expansion is appropriate.
The current developments in Waldershof highlight the challenges that many rural areas face. Nevertheless, the progressive discussions in Wunsiedel show that there are also ways to bridge the digital divide.