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Telco says allowing Deutsche Telekom to upgrade its copper broadband network puts country on ‘wrong side of progress’.
Vodafone on Friday blasted Germany’s decision to permit Deutsche Telekom to deploy vectoring, warning that it puts the country on the wrong side of progress.
"In Vodafone’s view, the German regulator is wrong to support short-term incremental upgrades to Germany’s outdated copper telephone networks rather than support investment in the future-proof fibre networks that Germany needs," the U.K.-based telco said, in a public policy statement.
Local telco regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur, on Thursday issued a final decision allowing the German incumbent to upgrade its copper-based VDSL network using vectoring, paving the way for fixed broadband at speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
Deutsche Telekom is required to offer a virtual unbundled local access (VULA) product to rival operators in areas where alternative wholesale networks are not available.
The matter will now pass to the European Commission, which has one month to raise any concerns before the Bundesnetzagentur’s ruling comes into force.
Vodafone warned that pushing ahead with vectoring will leave German consumers and businesses "at a technological standstill," putting them at a disadvantage to those in EU member states that have rolled out gigabit-ready networks.
Vodafone urged the Commission to look closely at the Bundesnetzagentur’s vectoring decision.
"The proposal will put Germany on the wrong side of progress," the company warned.
