Fibre: what matters is where the fibre ends
Before you sign a fibre contract, you should know whether the fibre reaches your flat (FTTH), the building (FTTB) or only a street cabinet – and what the installation will cost you.
“Fibre” only means something specific once you know whether the fibre reaches your flat (FTTH), the building (FTTB) or only a street cabinet. In practice, the state of the network, the home connection and the tariff all matter together.
FTTH offers the most headroom
An end-to-end fibre connection can deliver high data rates, good upload speeds and low latency. The benefit is long-term; even so, the tier you book should match what you need today.
Read the installation contract carefully
Pre-marketing or home connection offers can come with special deadlines, construction costs and conditions. The owner’s consent, the cable route through the building and the start of the contract term should be settled in writing.
- Confirm the build-out type (FTTH/FTTB)
- Record one-off construction and connection costs
- Check when payments and the minimum term start
- Clarify the in-house cabling
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between FTTH and FTTB?
With FTTH (Fibre to the Home), the fibre ends inside your flat. With FTTB (Fibre to the Building), it ends in the building, and the last few metres to the flat run over existing copper or network cabling. Both perform better than a connection where fibre only reaches the street cabinet, but FTTH offers the most headroom.
What does a fibre home connection cost?
During a pre-marketing phase (Vorvermarktung), network builders often offer the home connection at a discount or without a construction cost contribution – usually tied to a tariff with a fixed term. Outside this phase, connecting later can be considerably more expensive. Get the scope, the cable route through the building and the deadlines confirmed in writing before you sign.
Is fibre worth it if 100 Mbit/s is enough today?
The connection and the speed tier you book are two separate decisions. The fibre itself creates headroom for later; the tariff tier should match what you need today. With an existing connection, moving to a higher tier is usually possible without new building work.
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