German telecoms propose Fairplay pact to speed broadband

A coalition of German telecom and utility operators – the industry associations BDEW, Breko and VKU, which together represent about 60 % of the country's fiber‑optic connections – has drafted a voluntary "Fairplay‑Agreement". The pact would require fixed‑line providers to share their fiber networks on equal terms and would also ask mobile operators to open their mast and 5G infrastructure to competitors.

The alliance argues that voluntary cooperation can accelerate the rollout of high‑speed internet and mobile services while avoiding new legislation. It is a response to the federal government's plan to tighten network‑access rules under § 22a TKG and the Federal Network Agency. The agreement targets incumbent Deutsche Telekom as the main market player, seeking fair access to its network to prevent duplicate construction and to give consumers more choice and easier provider switching.

If adopted, the Fairplay pact could reduce construction disruptions, increase competition, and speed up the deployment of gigabit‑capable broadband across Germany.