BNetzA finds room for improvement when ISPs promise and deliver speeds to end users.
Background: The German regulator BNetzA started its broadband measurement programme in September 2015. At the time, the regulator was seeking to establish a monitoring mechanism for broadband performance so that consumers could easily check the performance of their service, in order to increase transparency and strengthen consumers’ rights. Since 2017, the “Breitbandmessung” is the certified mechanism consumers can use to identify any discrepancies and take action against ISPs.
Mixed results for the operators: On 8 April 2020, BNetzA published its fourth annual report on broadband measurements, covering the period between October 2018 and September 2019. It found that about 70% of fixed broadband users receive at least half of the promised speed – a lower share compared to last year, when it was 71.3%. Customer satisfaction also slightly decreased (61.4% of customers are satisfied with their broadband service, compared to 62% the year before). On the upside, the number of users who reached or exceeded the full speed promised rose from 12% to 16.4%. With regard to mobile broadband, only 14.9% of users receive at least half the theoretical speed, and only 1.5% gets the actual promised performance. Satisfaction also saw a slight reduction in mobile (74.3% compared to 74.7% the previous year), but BNetzA notes that it is a higher share compared to fixed broadband, which suggests that users value mobility more than performance.
BnetzA is not impressed: In a statement accompanying the results, BNetzA’s president noted that once again there are “few changes”, and that customers often do not get what they were promised. “There is still a need for action among broadband providers”, the president concluded.
