Internet still often slower than stated in the contract

The Federal Network Agency has published the 2021/22 annual report on broadband measurements in Germany. "The results are still unsatisfactory. Customers often don't achieve the promised Internet speed," says the head of the agency, Klaus Müller. "Affected consumers can use our broadband measurement to prove reduced performance in the fixed network in order to assert their rights against their provider."

Only 42 percent have full speed

The report shows that the values ​​stated in the contract rarely have anything to do with the users' Internet reality. In the fixed network, 84.4 percent of all broadband classes received at least half of the agreed data transmission rate when downloading. Only 42.3 of the users were able to enjoy the full rate or even higher speeds.

There are quite clear differences between the various bandwidth classes. According to the Federal Network Agency's chart, customers with contracts that only provide for 8 or 18 megabits per second (Mbit/s) receive the maximum speed particularly rarely. The highest chance of 100 percent of the agreed data rate is at 100 and 50 Mbit/s.

urban-rural divide

As in previous years, there is an urban-rural divide. In metropolitan areas, 61.1 percent of users achieved at least 90 percent of the marketed transmission rate, compared to only 51.2 percent in rural areas. There are also differences over the course of the day. While some curves are constant, the bandwidths of 500 to 2500 Mbit/s, for example, show a clear drop in the early evening hours.

Although Internet speeds rarely match the values ​​stated in the contract, most customers (78.2 percent) are satisfied with their provider. This suggests that the data rates achieved are usually sufficient. Nonetheless, users often do not get what they pay for.

Almost no user gets 100 percent on mobile

The mobile Internet is even worse in this regard. The level here is generally well below that of the fixed network. Across all bandwidth classes, just 23.2 of the users were able to enjoy at least half the promised Internet speed when downloading.

At a measly three percent, it was actually reached or even exceeded. The range for the various providers ranges from 0.6 to 7.1 percent. Unsurprisingly, data rates in cities are higher on average than in rural areas. And the mobile Internet speed continues to drop over the course of the day, reaching a dip in the early evening hours.

Despite the sobering figures, the authority states in its report that the situation with mobile Internet has improved for the third year in a row. This is mainly due to increases in the middle and upper bandwidth classes.

The more expensive the tariff, the more rarely the value is correct

Overall, however, the test results are even below those of the 2015/16 period. Because from 2017, the providers introduced LTE Max tariffs with significantly higher contractually promised data transmission rates. The Federal Network Agency writes that the agreed values ​​tend to be reached less frequently in the higher bandwidth classes.

Although the value has fallen by around 5 percent compared to the same period in the previous year, 70.8 percent of mobile phone users still rate their providers with grades from 1 to 3. The authority also suspects here that users tend to prefer mobility and availability standing absolute data rate rated as the contractually promised speed.

The Federal Network Agency points out that the amended Telecommunications Act has significantly expanded consumer rights. If the actual speed deviates "significantly, continuously or regularly" from the contracted data rate, they can reduce the monthly payments or even cancel the contract.

In the case of stationary Internet connections, users can prove this using the broadband measurement desktop app , in which a corresponding procedure is offered. This requires a total of 30 measurements on three different calendar days. Mobile this is not yet possible, the Federal Network Agency is still working on a procedure.