Federal Digital Minister Volker Wissing has dismissed concerns from competitors of Deutsche Telekom that Germany could miss the targets set by the federal government due to the uncoordinated fiber optic expansion. However, Wissing still considers the superstructure of existing lines from competitors to be “not unproblematic”. The government’s aim is for 50% and all households to have access to fiber optics and 5G by 2025 and 2030 respectively.
Wissing has remained confident of being able to achieve the requirements of the federal government’s gigabit and digital strategies. However, experts consider the small-scale expansion from 2025 to be particularly difficult to master. Nonetheless, Wissing is optimistic, saying that “there was never a stop to government support.”
In addition, Wissing described the implementation of the digital strategy with its joint lever projects as a “strength” in view of the great need to catch up. On the subject of AI, he says that it will “have a massive impact on our competitiveness.” However, he thinks “nothing at all” about predictive policing, social scoring, and biometric mass surveillance.
Wissing also emphasized the need for free communication in chats and protected, encrypted rooms on the internet. As a politician, he only writes as little as possible online due to the experience that statements can often be “placed in a strange context”.
