Knowledge base

Clear decisions on home internet and mobile

Here you'll find guides to connection types, data allowances, contract costs and switching provider. Each page answers the decision question first and then goes into detail.

Updated: 27 September 2026 Reading time: 4 min Tim Jungeblut Editorial methodology

On this page

Internet at home
Mobile on the go
Contracts and rights

Our guides answer the decision question first. Tariff lists and market comparisons only come once your needs and the relevant costs are clear.

Internet at home

Learn the differences between DSL, cable, fibre and 5G. For a quick start, the technology check and the guide to DSL or cable are a good place to begin.

Mobile on the go

With mobile tariffs, network coverage, your real data usage and the effective cost usually lead to a better choice than big advertising promises.

Contracts and rights

What applies if your connection is persistently slower than agreed, how long a contract really ties you in and whether your own router pays off: the answers are in the law and in the product information sheet, not in the advertising.

Price reduction and special termination under § 57 TKG
Notice periods since the TKG reform
Comparing flexible tariffs with fixed-term contracts
Renting or buying a router

In this section

Breitbandmessung: speed test and refunds

The Bundesnetzagentur's measurement report for home broadband and, since 20 April 2026, mobile: how it works, thresholds, a refund example under Section 57 TKG and dispute resolution.

Check fibre availability in Germany

Breitbandatlas, provider checks, FTTH or FTTB: how to check fibre at your address, what the building connection costs and when landlords must allow it.

Internet price increase

Under § 57 TKG you can cancel without notice within three months of a price increase. Exceptions, 1&1, Telekom and the Vodafone class action.

DSL switch-off

There is no switch-off date. Which deadlines the Bundesnetzagentur plans for the copper-to-fibre migration and what you can do now.

Switching provider

Under § 59 TKG, your connection may not be down for more than one working day when you switch. What else you may have to pay and how to switch correctly.

Compensation for outages

For a complete outage or a missed engineer appointment, § 58 TKG sets fixed compensation. The amounts, the deadlines and how to claim.

Cancelling

Since the TKG reform, internet contracts continue on a monthly basis after the minimum term. What this means for notice periods, moving home and switching.

No minimum term

Internet tariffs you can cancel monthly usually cost more per month but spare you a long commitment. When the extra cost pays off and what to watch for in one-off fees.

Slow internet

If your connection persistently delivers less than agreed, § 57 TKG allows a price reduction or special termination. How to measure correctly and what you need.

Product information sheet

Providers must state the minimum, normal and maximum speed. How to read the sheet and why only these figures count if there is a dispute.

Your rights

Too slow, down, connected late or interrupted when switching: what the Telecommunications Act (TKG) specifically entitles you to in these four cases.

Renting or buying a router

Renting a router costs you every month, buying one is a one-off cost. How to work out the break-even point and when renting still makes sense despite the higher cost.

Frequently asked questions

Is it still worth switching provider?

Usually, yes, but rarely for the reason you might expect. The biggest factor is not the base price but what happens once the promotional period ends: many tariffs rise sharply after twelve months. So always work out the cost over the full 24 months, including the router and set-up fee.

What should I check before signing?

Three things in the small print: the minimum term, the price from month 13 onwards and the details in the contract summary (Vertragszusammenfassung) and the product information sheet (Produktinformationsblatt). The contract is what is binding; these two documents show you at a glance which speed it promises. An advertised "up to" figure, by contrast, is not a commitment.

What can I do if the connection doesn't deliver what was promised?

More than most people think. Since the reform of the Telecommunications Act (TKG), a persistently low bandwidth counts as a defect that entitles you to a price reduction, and the law sets out specific compensation amounts for a complete outage. You need evidence from the measurement procedure of the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur). Our section on your rights explains step by step how to do this.