German towns launch major fiber‑optic rollouts with Vodafone, Meridiam and local utilities

Vodafone Deutschland and Meridiam Glasfaser (ffiber) have signed cooperation contracts to build a fiber‑to‑the‑home (FTTH) network in the Swabian municipalities of Thannhausen and Münsterhausen. Construction is set to start in July 2026, with the first connections expected in spring 2027 and full rollout by the end of 2027. The project will be financed without using municipal budgets, and households can obtain a free house‑level connection during the market‑launch phase.

In Schweinfurt, Stadtwerke Schweinfurt connected its first customer in the new “expansion cluster 2026” after a groundbreaking ceremony at the Eselshöhe. The cluster targets about 2,800 dwelling units in the northern part of the city, with a goal of reaching over 27,000 households and businesses by 2031 with gigabit‑capable FTTH service. Residents who sign contracts during construction can benefit from a free house connection.

Meanwhile, Sulzbach‑Rosenberg’s borough of Großalbershof held a spade‑breaking ceremony to start a Bavarian‑funded fiber rollout under the Gigabit Directive. Approximately 540 addresses are slated for connection by mid‑2027. The project involves multiple providers, including Telekom, Vodafone, 1&1 and O2, and a citizen office has been set up to inform residents and handle contracts.

All three initiatives aim to strengthen digital infrastructure, support economic development and improve broadband access for citizens and businesses across the affected German regions.