Germany fixed broadband lines, DSL
Germany fixed broadband lines, DSL stood at 22.7 million lines in 2025, according to Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur). It is one of the indicators in the Telecommunications market table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 2003 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Telecommunications market table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total active broadband lines | 38.8 | 38.6 | 38.4 | 37.5 | 36.9 | 36.2 | 35.2 | 34.2 | 33.2 | 32 | |
| DSL | 22.7 | 23.6 | 24.5 | 24.7 | 25.4 | 25.4 | 25.3 | 25 | 24.7 | 24 | |
| Hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 8 | 7.7 | 7.2 |
Understanding germany fixed broadband lines, DSL
Retail broadband subscriptions provisioned across traditional copper twisted-pair telephone architecture are isolated in this series, spanning asymmetric variants, very-high-bit-rate connections, and vectored transmission enhancements. Scope extends to all end-customer contracts billed for data transmission over local copper loops, whether provided directly by the primary infrastructure holder or through alternative service providers utilizing physical wholesale access. The metric excludes pure copper voice arrangements without broadband capability, idle copper pairs, and optical fibre paths marketed alongside legacy copper brands. Unlike its sibling rows covering coaxial cable, pure glass fibre, and cellular fixed links, this measure focuses exclusively on the legacy twisted-pair copper footprint.
Assessing performance across annual reporting intervals prevents distortions from short-term promotional campaigns, ensuring year-on-year changes reflect genuine technology substitution rather than seasonal contract timing. Historical comparisons require caution regarding vectoring upgrades, where roadside infrastructure was replaced with fibre feeders while retaining copper drops to the building, a technical shift that did not alter the classification of the final connection. When evaluating these figures alongside total broadband aggregates, observers should avoid assuming that losses in copper subscriptions correspond to market contraction, as customers routinely migrate toward alternative access media within the same market framework.
Frequently asked questions
- Are vectored copper connections classified under this series or under fibre?
- Vectored connections remain counted under copper access because the final transmission path into the building relies on twisted-pair wiring.
- Does the count include standalone copper voice lines?
- Traditional landline telephone connections lacking an active broadband internet package are omitted from this tally.
- How does this row treat subscriptions provided by alternative operators over leased copper?
- Retail customer contracts are captured under this heading regardless of whether the retail provider owns the physical copper loop or rents it.