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Fiber optic expansion in Esthal: Fast internet for 587 households!
Fiberglass plus will start expansion work in Esthal on October 8th, 2025 to provide 587 households with gigabit internet.
Fiber optic expansion in Esthal: Fast internet for 587 households!
Something is happening in Esthal – in the spirit of digital progress! On Thursday at 11 a.m., expansion work will begin on a modern fiber optic network that will provide the region with fast internet. A total of 587 households will benefit from the new network, which offers impressive download speeds of up to one gigabit per second. The operator Glasfaserplus, a joint project between Deutsche Telekom and the IFM Global Infrastructure Fund, has set itself the ambitious goal of creating a total of four million fiber optic connections in rural, small and medium-sized urban areas in Germany by 2030 Rheinpfalz reports.
The initiative shows how important the expansion of digital infrastructure is, especially in rural regions. According to local mayor Gernot Kuhn (CDU), fast and stable internet will be of crucial importance for the residents. The Esthal local council approved the contract with fiberglass plus to lay the fiber optic cables in January. What's special about it is that the community has no costs for the work, and the expansion commitment is not tied to marketing quotas. Citizens simply need to actively book a connection, which can be done online or in local stores.
A long-term partner for the digital future
The IFM Global Infrastructure Fund, an Australian investment company, recently entered into a long-term partnership with Deutsche Telekom. As part of this joint venture, which will be based in the Cologne region, gigabit-capable FTTH connections are to be implemented for over four million households in rural areas of Germany by 2028. IFM Investors will acquire a 50 percent stake in fiberglass plus, and the investment amount amounts to around 900 million euros [IFM](https://www.ifminvestors.com/en-gb/news–insights/media-centre/ifm-global-infrastructure-fund-estab lishes-long-term-partnership-with-deutsche-telekom-to-roll-out-gigabit-fibre-broadband-in-rural-germany/) presented in detail.
The plan envisages an “open access” model that enables both Deutsche Telekom and its competitors to access the fiber optic network. This means that all market participants are on an equal footing, which ensures fair competition conditions. This cooperation is not only an economic step, but is also intended to contribute to digitalization in rural regions, which is of great importance given the demographic changes.
The need for fast internet is growing
Digitalization does not stop at the villages - today fast internet access is just as important as good road connections. According to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture Access to high-speed internet not only impacts efficiency in agriculture, but also plays an important role in many other industries. More and more people are working from home, and this has further increased the demand for stable internet connections in rural areas.
Fast internet of up to 250 megabits per second is already offered in Esthal, which lays a solid foundation. However, the new expansion will introduce a completely different dimension. The responsibility of customers to actively seek a connection complements the federal government's promising approaches to creating gigabit networks across the board by 2025 and offering 5G in all populated areas.
Overall, the project in Esthal shows how important it is to strengthen the digital infrastructure in rural regions. The interaction between the private sector and public funding could make a groundbreaking contribution here and prepare Esthal for the future.