Free fiber optic connection for Hagelstadt: Apply now!

Free fiber optic connection for Hagelstadt: Apply now!

The fiber optic expansion in Hagelstadt is being significantly advanced by Laber-Naab Infrastructure GmbH (LNI). Letters will be sent to property owners in the community in the coming weeks to obtain permission for free fiber optic home connections. The entire expansion is financed by gigabit funding from the federal government, the Free State of Bavaria and a municipal contribution. This means that homeowners do not have to face any financial burden as 100% of the production costs are covered.

The LNI, which is made up of 48 local authorities, plans to install the fiber optic connection from 2026 to 2028, using trenchless installation methods to minimize disruption to property owners. The fiber optic connection is supplemented by existing connections such as telephone, DSL or cable TV, which can still be used. Homeowners can check the availability of a free connection on the LNI homepage.

Driving digitalization in Germany

The fiber optic expansion in Germany is part of an overarching federal government plan that was set out in the coalition agreement. The aim is to expand across the board in order to create equal living conditions. Federal Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger emphasizes the importance of high-performance telecommunications networks and points to the need to open up untouched areas. Currently, almost 99 percent of households in Germany are supplied with at least 16 megabits per second, and over 85 percent even have at least 200 megabits per second.

The new acceleration law supports these efforts by enabling faster approval procedures for line construction. This has already led to fiber optic expansion being almost doubled by mid-2024, so that more than 35 percent of households have access to a fiber optic connection. EU Commissions have described this progress as “spectacular”.

Funding programs and support

Gigabit funding 2.0 aims to bring fiber optics into every home, supporting areas where economic expansion by telecommunications companies is not feasible. Applications for funding can be submitted by local authorities such as municipalities and districts. bmv.de explains that a catalog of criteria is used as a basis.

Overall, funding programs should work in areas where market-driven expansion is not possible. The funded expansion currently accounts for around 11.7 percent of the households addressed. KfW programs also offer investment loans for digital infrastructure to further support expansion.

Interested property owners who have questions or require further information can contact netzleitung@lni.gmbh on 09492 26184-0 or by email. Further details on the expansion process and approval modalities are also available on the LNI homepage.