Fiber optic offensive: 47 million euros for the digital future in the Lahn-Dill district!

Fiber optic offensive: 47 million euros for the digital future in the Lahn-Dill district!

There is great progress in fiber optic expansion in the Lahn-Dill district. Digitalization is being pushed forward here with full force so that rural regions are not left behind. On June 23, 2025, Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus sent a funding notice of around 47 million euros to District Administrator Carsten Braun. This sum is intended to benefit the northern part of the district and is part of a comprehensive total investment of around 117 million euros, which includes both federal funds and the municipalities' own contributions. Loud Lahn-Dill district The money is intended to connect around 27,000 addresses that were not taken into account in the previous expansion.

A particularly pleasing detail is that over 13,000 addresses in the northern Lahn-Dill district will benefit from this new funding. Digital Minister Sinemus emphasizes that this initiative is part of the federal program “Gigabit Promotion 2.0”, with 50% funding coming from the federal government, 40% from the state of Hesse and 10% from the municipalities. Digitalization in rural areas is not only on the agenda, it is being actively implemented here. These developments show that it is possible to create attractive living conditions even in less densely populated areas.

A total volume for the future

The southern part of the Lahn-Dill district received over 56 million euros in March 2024 to promote fiber optic expansion, as the Hessian state government reported. Overall, the volume of fiber optic expansion in the district is almost a quarter of a billion euros, which underlines the importance of these projects. Around 12,000 addresses, including over 1,100 commercial establishments and several socio-economic institutions, will ultimately be connected to the network.

District Administrator Carsten Braun emphasizes how important fiber optic expansion is for the future development of the Lahn-Dill district. Rural areas must be able to compete with urban regions in order to remain competitive. This is particularly noteworthy because by the end of 2024, only around 17% of households in the Lahn-Dill district had access to a fiber optic connection. The aim is to provide fiber connections across the region by 2030, which will be of great benefit not only to local residents but also to commuters and businesses.

The challenges of expansion

But expanding fast internet connections in rural areas also brings with it challenges. High investment costs, long distances for civil engineering work and limited economic viability without public funding are just some of the hurdles Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture explained. In order to meet these challenges, cooperative models between municipalities and telecommunications companies are important - an approach that is becoming increasingly important.

With support from various levels of government, the expansion of the digital infrastructure in rural areas is not only strategically promoted, but also secured in the long term. The goal remains clear: comprehensive coverage of gigabit networks based on fiber optics by 2030 in order to ensure the attractiveness and future viability of rural regions. Coping with these tasks is crucial for the quality of life and competitiveness of the Lahn-Dill district and all other regional communities.