Verden: Hard bandages in fiber optic expansion

Verden – The Verden urban area is developing largely unnoticed by the public into the scene of a fight between David and Goliath. It’s about the fiber optic network for a super-fast internet, which one day between the Reeperbahn and Osterkrug will finally connect people to the rest of the world without jerking. While, on the one hand, the glass fiber north-west mini excavators and co. Have set in motion, on the other hand, a Verden company is positioning itself.

This confrontation between big and small is far from being decided, on the contrary, it is even getting more and more sharp. At stake is a multi-million dollar market that actually does not allow any division. The duel was triggered two months ago. In a disdainful press release, the fiberglass company first presented itself and then its plans. It is a company of Telekom and EWE, it wants to equip almost 1,900 households in Verden with fiber optic connections. And that from now on. The response came mainly from an unusual direction. “We were completely surprised by this starting shot,” says Marco Bungalski from Verden. With his company TM-Net, he has made a name for himself over the past few years as a broadband outfitter in mostly underserved areas of the Verden and Heide districts. He also laid the colorful cables with high-speed requirements in new development areas in his hometown. The network should be gradually expanded.

Now he clearly wants to press the accelerator. “The first additional households will be connected from September 1st,” announced Bungalski when asked. And for good reason, as he thinks: “We will not give our competitors the market. Verden is my hometown. We will fight. ”Advertising posters are being prepared, information stands will be placed in front of supermarkets. At the same time, the next generation of speed is being brought to Verden, users can surf at 2.5 gigabits per second, competitor Glasfaser Nordwest is renowned for 1.0 gigabits, and they want to stand up to the competition when it comes to price. “We are cheaper.” The lower tariff results from better local knowledge. Particularly when calculating the so-called last mile, the house connection, a profound knowledge of local conditions is an advantage.

In fact, the people in charge at Glasfaser Nordwest an der Aller are only mediocre. “We are going to build a completely new network in Plattenberg and parts of Dauelsen,” said one of the managing directors in the press release at the beginning of June. People from Verden frown: Actually, it’s called the Plattenberg.

At the same time, the first criticism of the construction standard is loud. Residents found that the fiber-optic northwest cable was barely buried. Allegations that have already made it to the Verden town hall. “In one only known case, we received a photo on which the fiber optic bundle is only 30 to 40 centimeters below the pavement,” says Rainer Kamermann when asked. He heads the Roads and Urban Green Department, the approval and control authority for civil engineering on urban land. A depth of 50 to 60 centimeters is agreed, at least, tree roots are to be spared at the same time.

And then do the companies dig to themselves? And do the strings pull from the Aller to the east, from the Osterkrug to the west? Puff cake! The fierce competition for every house takes place in a very small space. While the fiber optic northwest almost catches the eye, Bungalski has now also made its plans public. His lot 1 and 2 include, well what, exactly: Meldauer Berg and Neumühlen. “Renowned local civil engineering companies have been entrusted with the work. The first sub-area is half finished, the second under construction. “

Companies react differently to the response from the population. Bungalski estimates that around 600 households in the two areas concerned are interested in a fiber optic connection. According to him, around half have already decided in favor of him and thus the TM-Net. “There are more every day.” Glasfaser Nordwest is pursuing a different strategy. “We have already made great progress in the Plattenberg area,” says press spokesman Tim Bunjes, “in Dauelsen we will start at short notice”. You expand regardless of the number of customers already registered. Bunjes: “EWE and Telekom then take over the marketing. It will probably begin in October. ”Only then would the house connections be relocated. In total, there are around 10,000 households in the city of Verden, and a connection rate of around 60 percent is generally expected. At the moment, the good old copper cable is predominant at the Allermouth, with the exception of a few new development areas.

Companies cannot rely on regulatory intervention by the authorities. The Federal Network Agency grants the so-called right of way to lay the fiber optic cables to anyone who can demonstrate the technical know-how, has the appropriate certification and documents their financial capacity. The city administration also does not generally take protective action, but only intervene in the event of expansion errors. “The work must be carried out in the manner in which it was applied for and approved,” says Kamermann.

With fierce competition, the city of Verden is increasingly assuming a signaling function. In the meantime, insiders assume that whoever wins the race at the Aller estuary should also prevail in large parts of the district. Preliminary decisions have already been made. Achim is assigned to the EWE telecommunications company. At the same time, a new main fiber optic strand is growing for the district. As reported, the gas line pulls the mighty supply cable along the motorway to which the local networks are connected.

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