Overview
- A detailed CHIP first‑person report this week documents repeated operator failures such as incorrect address checks, inconsistent service provisioning, and blocked port access that left a Munich building with installed fibre but many residents steered to DSL.
- Consumer advocates report a rise in aggressive door‑to‑door sales where promoters use scare lines like imminent DSL shutdowns or ‘today‑only’ discounts to push quick contracts, and they warn customers not to sign under pressure.
- Legal protections remain: doorstep contracts carry a 14‑day statutory right of withdrawal and that period can be extended if mandatory pre‑contract information was not given.
- Uptake lags technical rollout — there are under 8 million active fibre connections while far more households still use DSL — and some providers are lobbying for an earlier copper switch‑off even though the federal plan foresees retirement around 2035–2040.
- Practical fixes, not deadlines, appear needed: sources say operators must correct address databases, standardise provisioning, stop misleading sales practices, and clarify in‑home wiring costs so consumers can make clear, informed choices.