Broadband expansion in the Börde district began with the groundbreaking ceremony on October 11, 2018, in Lot 4 (Oebisfelde-Weferlingen).

More than a year has now passed, and other contract lots have also begun their expansion efforts. In 2019, trenches were dug, pipe assemblies were installed, and fiber-optic cables were blown into place in a total of 5 out of 8 contract lots. A large number of network nodes, known as PoPs, have already been installed and equipped. As a result, in the last quarter of the year, the first customers were “brought online” by the operating provider and have been using their high-speed broadband connections ever since.

The groundbreaking and start of construction in the remaining municipalities are now scheduled for 2020, so that these communities will also soon be fully involved in the construction process. The project is financially supported by federal grants and by investments from the respective municipalities, which will be recouped through lease income from the future operator. Under this model, every resident living in an underserved area has the opportunity to order a fiber-optic connection at a low cost.

Future Opportunities

MRK has been assigned the role of project manager for this project and thus supports the individual municipalities by providing advice and oversight. From coordination and planning through construction coordination meetings to final acceptance, and from the project’s start to the preparation of grant applications and final documentation, the project management team at MRK Media AG manages and documents the project processes for its clients. The Börde district has awarded a total of 8 contracts for the expansion and will gradually advance the expansion throughout the district over the course of the project. In total, approximately 1,500 km of civil engineering work and over 25,000 residential connections will be completed in the district. Once construction is complete, customers will experience a significant improvement in their current internet connection. A connection with a speed of at least 500 Mbit/s sends a strong signal regarding rural broadband coverage and its future.