The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also regularly measures the spread of information technologies in member countries, including Germany. In the current evaluation, the organization is looking at the spread of fiber optic connections in the country.
Accordingly, fiber optic network technology overtook DSL in terms of distribution in mid-2020, then conventional cable connections at the beginning of 2021 and has since become the most widespread network technology in OECD countries. At the same time, the proportion of DSL and cable connections is continually falling. Fiber optic connections are currently available in 41.1 percent of OECD households.
But there are big differences within the organization’s 38 member states: Korea took first place in fiber optic distribution, with 88.9 percent of the population already using fiber optic connections. This is followed by Japan with 85.8 percent and Iceland with 85.1 percent. The top ten fiber optic countries also include Spain, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, New Zealand and Chile.
The bottom positions of the OECD table read like the Eurovision Song Contest: fifth from the back is Great Britain, followed by Austria, Germany, Belgium and Greece. With 10.1 percent of fiber optic connections, Germany is third from last in an international comparison.
Last year, Austria made a big leap in expanding its fiber optic network from 6.2 percent in 2022 to 10.4 percent in 2023, overtaking Germany. Belgium is also making progress with its infrastructure and is expected to overtake Germany in expanding its fiber optic network by 2025 at the latest. Only Greece, with 0.5 percent of fiber optic connections, will probably remain in last place in the OEDC table for a few more years.
The OECD only took certain types of fiber optic connections into account in its evaluation; the evaluation included the FTTH (fiber optic to the home), FTTP (fiber optic to the property) and FTTB (fiber fiber to the house) connections. Excluded are FTTC and FTTN (fiber to distribution box).
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