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Bad Internet? Price reduction only little used

Consumers are entitled to lower payments if the Internet contract has a major problem in practice. But this is rarely requested. Consumer advocates are criticizing the measurement tool.

,   and  Anne Legman
2 min read
Does the internet contract sound great on paper, but in practice there is a huge hitch? If this is....aussiedlerbote.de
Does the internet contract sound great on paper, but in practice there is a huge hitch? If this is the case, German citizens have been entitled to lower payments to their internet provider since December 2021. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Federal Network Agency - Bad Internet? Price reduction only little used

The right to a price reduction in the event of poor internet, which was introduced two years ago, is only used to a limited extent by consumers.

While around 108,000 users started the necessary measurements of a desktop app from the Federal Network Agency in the first twelve and a half months, only just under 50,000 did so in the following ten months (i.e. January to October 2023), the Bonn-based federal authority told the German Press Agency. Consumers are entitled to a reduction in their monthly internet price if the performance of their landline connection deviates significantly from the contractually guaranteed quality.

30 measurements in a rigid time corset

To make this claim, you need a so-called measurement report, which you can obtain after using the breitbandmessung.de desktop app. This in turn is time-consuming; a total of 30 measurements on different days are prescribed in a rigid time frame. Only around one in four users perseveres and completes the 30 measurements, during which the computer must be connected to a LAN cable.

The Internet industry association VATM attributes the low number of complaints to the performance of German networks. "Many users start the broadband measurement out of curiosity and end the procedure prematurely because there are no restrictions on Internet use in everyday life," says association managing director Frederic Ufer. A Vodafone spokesperson sees the low number of reduction requests as proof of the continuous improvement in network quality. Massive investments have been made, he emphasizes.

Consumer advocates: measurement tool is too cumbersome

Consumer advocates disagree. "Many consumers report problems with their home Internet at our advice centers," says Felix Flosbach from the NRW consumer advice center. "The discrepancy between actual and promised performance is still huge, but the Federal Network Agency's measurement tool is too laborious and time-consuming for most of those affected." Flosbach points out that you need a LAN cable for the 30 tests. "That doesn't reflect everyday digital life: many people use tablets or laptops at home that no longer have a LAN connection."

Read also:

  1. Despite the possibility of a price reduction for poor internet service, as stipulated by the Federal Network Agency in Germany two years ago, only a modest number of consumers in Bonn and beyond have utilized this right, according to the German Press Agency.
  2. The Federal Network Agency, located in Bonn, revealed to the German Press Agency that while approximately 108,000 users initiated the necessary internet performance measurements using the provided app during the first year, this figure dropped to nearly 50,000 in the ensuing ten months, indicating limited usage.
  3. Germany's consumers have shown little interest in exercising their right to a reduced internet price due to poor performance, as reported by the Federal Network Agency, even though many consumers face significant discrepancies between expected and actual internet quality, as noted by consumer advocates in Bonn.

Source: www.stern.de

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