Germany fixed broadband lines, hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC)
Germany fixed broadband lines, hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) stood at 8.5 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 | |
| Hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 8 | 7.7 | 7.2 | |
| Fibre to the home/building | 6.4 | 5.3 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 2 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
Understanding germany fixed broadband lines, hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC)
Broadband access provisioned through television cable networks utilizing hybrid optical-coaxial architecture defines the boundary of this series. The tally encompasses active consumer and commercial contracts operating via data-over-cable interface standards, where optical distribution networks feed neighbourhood nodes that connect to customer premises over coaxial cabling. Standalone linear television subscriptions lacking internet provision, unactivated cable wall outlets, and enterprise connections deployed over independent optical lines by cable operators are excluded. In contrast to adjacent rows for twisted-pair copper and end-to-end fibre, this series monitors broadband delivery over shared-medium coaxial broadcasting infrastructure.
The annual frequency of this series irons out intra-year marketing noise, rendering twelve-month comparisons the standard benchmark for analyzing cable broadband adoption. Historical continuity can be influenced by corporate consolidations within the cable operating landscape, as standardizing customer definitions across acquired regional cable systems occasionally prompts retrospective revisions. Analysts should note that cable network upgrades enhancing bandwidth capacity do not shift lines into pure fibre classifications so long as the building lead-in remains coaxial. Furthermore, available cable penetration cannot be directly inferred from this metric without examining the broader television network passing footprint.
Frequently asked questions
- Are television-only cable subscriptions counted within this series?
- Subscribers who purchase only television broadcasting packages without an active broadband internet contract are excluded.
- Does upgrading cable nodes with optical fibre reclassify these connections as fibre lines?
- Connections remain classified as hybrid coaxial so long as the physical link entering the subscriber premises consists of coaxial cable.
- Can individual household subscription numbers be compared directly with building connection counts?
- Multiple residential units within a single apartment complex are recorded as distinct active lines if each unit maintains its own broadband contract.