Deutsche Telekom acquires fiber optic networks in Essen

Deutsche Telekom has acquired the fiber optic infrastructure of ruhrfibre Essen and Metrofibre through an asset deal. The acquisition covers approximately 87,000 households in the Essen area, some of which are currently undergoing expansion.

Following the completion of the deal, Deutsche Telekom plans to integrate the networks into its own architecture and manage further expansion independently. This move complements the company’s existing presence in the region, where it already provides direct fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections to roughly 288,000 households. This follows a previous acquisition of the DOKOM21 network, which is expected to connect an additional 25,000 households by the end of 2025.

The previous owner, which was insolvent, had ended its cooperation with competitor Vodafone by September 30, 2026. Consequently, affected customers may need to switch to Telekom contracts to continue using the network. The infrastructure will be opened to both direct customers and wholesale partners.