In the heart of Saxony, Central Saxony district is set to reap the benefits of the German federal government's generous support to the tune of 125 million euros. This funding will be allocated across six projects, aiming to connect a staggering 24,000 buildings, as revealed by the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport. This move will virtually unify Central Saxony with the nation's fiber optic network.
The ministry has earmarked a staggering 3.6 billion euros for fiber optic expansion in 2023. This investment will enable an additional 638,000 connections in approximately 2,300 municipalities. Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) celebrated this development by presenting funding certificates to 29 beneficiaries.
The district administrator Dirk Neubauer (non-partisan) expressed his gratitude for this collaborative effort. He praised the synergy between the district and municipalities to securing the approval. FDP Member of Parliament Philipp Hartewig from Mittweida echoed his sentiments, expressing the urge for universal internet access, even in rural areas.
Known as the "free mountain" region, Central Saxony will witness a phenomenal digital transformation, granting rural communities unparalleled digital connectivity. High-speed internet services will revolutionize daily life, ensuring seamless communication, remote work, and entertainment.
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Despite the announcements, the exact funding figures distributed by the federal government for nationwide fiber optic expansion in 2023 are not explicitly detailed in the available sources. Furthermore, the sources do not provide definitive numbers on the additional connections or the current adoption rates of fiber optics in Germany.
However, most network connections in the country still rely on copper (24.7 million) or cable (7 million), while only about 2% (700,000) utilize fiber optics. This situation mostly stems from the absence of investments and botched government actions in the past, which have hindered the significant growth of fiber optic usage in Germany[2].
