In Austria, only every second citizen has access to a powerful fiber optic network that the country offers one of the rear places in European comparison. So the sober result of the Fiber Optic Congress FTTH in Amsterdam, which ended on Thursday.
Romania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Bulgaria and France, where 90 percent of the population and then show how it works better. Austria only comes to 50 percent.
The country is therefore just before the Czech Republic and Germany with 42 percent each. “The lack of fiber optic infrastructure brake the digital development of the country considerably. Without national access, Austria will not remain competitive in important technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum Computing,” says the Interest Association Open Fiber Austria Association (OFAA). It points out that even mobile phone networks are only efficient enough if their base stations are directly connected to the fiber optic network.
Telekom Austria looks critical
In Austria, the operators of the mobile telephone network recently criticized the fact that fiber optic extension in Austria was primarily a financing program for the construction sector, but the broadband stock was not sufficiently used. Market leader Telekom Austria had asked that households should be encouraged instead of laying if they get a broadband connection.
“We are the company that is the most fiber in Austria, we have nothing against the expansion of the fiber optic,” said Vice -Ceo Thomas Arnoldner in February and added: “But we think: in times of limited resources you have to use them responsible.” In recent years, 2.4 billion euros have been pumped into financing and the connections of individual households have been financed with a maximum of 80,000 euros. On average, a fiber optic connection in Austria costs 2000 euros, A1-Austria boss Marcus cruel.
The last large broadband support goes back to 2022. Under the then Minister of Telecommunication Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP), the starting signal for the payment of the second broadband billion was given compared to 1.4 billion euros. “This is the largest broadband building study that ever existed,” the minister said at the time.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
