Fiber optic expansion faces usage gaps in Austria and Germany

Fiber optic expansion in Austria and Germany faces a significant gap between infrastructure availability and actual usage. In Austria, fiber is available to approximately 2.4 million households, yet only about 600,000 are currently using it. A primary challenge is the responsibility for internal building infrastructure, which falls to property owners rather than internet service providers. This creates a substantial market for electrical contractors to install the necessary connections between the house entry point and individual apartments.

In Germany, the broadband association BREKO reports that while the number of homes passed by fiber is increasing, the market situation is becoming more difficult. Although the fiber expansion rate is expected to reach 62 percent by June 2026, the take-up rate—the ratio of activated connections to homes passed—remains stagnant at around 27 percent. Rising material, construction, and financing costs are complicating the landscape, with the average net cost for a connection reaching approximately 1,950 euros, significantly higher than the cost of simply passing a home with fiber.