Activity reports for the telecommunications and postal sectors 2022/2023

The Bundesnetzagentur has today presented its activity reports for 2022/2023 for the telecommunications and postal sectors.

Year of issue 2023
Date of issue 2023.12.13

Telecommunications

Broadband rollout

In 2022, companies invested over €13bn in expanding the fixed and mobile networks, €1.5bn more than they invested in 2021.

Fixed-network coverage with high-speed internet connections also increased. By mid-2023, gigabit-speed connections were available to nearly three quarters of all households. The largest proportion of these connections are still provided via cable networks, which cover the majority of Germany's population in urban areas.

Companies have also made large investments in fibre rollout. According to the Bundesnetzagentur's surveys, by mid-2023 the number of homes passed by fibre was around 15mn, twice as many as two years ago. Nearly one in three end-users has access to a fibre connection. Demand for fibre connections is developing more slowly. Only one in four end-users with access to a fibre connection actually uses one.

Post

Letters and parcels

There was a decrease of 2.24% in the total number of items the postal operators conveyed from around 12.20bn in 2021 to 11.93bn in 2022; one of the reasons is the progress in digitalisation. Letter volumes continue to decline. The development is steady and not gaining pace.

Revenues in 2022 were more or less stable. One of the reasons was Deutsche Post DHL's increase in postal charges in 2022. The companies anticipate a slight decrease in revenues in 2023.

Competitive conditions in the letters sector were more or less unaffected. Deutsche Post DHL continues to be the market leader, with a market share in terms of revenue of more than 85.0%.

In the parcels sector, Deutsche Post DHL is the market leader and Amazon the second largest operator. Amazon's market share in terms of parcel volumes has increased to between 15% and 25% in the past few years.

Postal consumer advice service and dispute resolution panel

In 2022, 43,152 complaints were received from consumers about postal issues, nearly three times as many as were received in 2021. The increase in the number of complaints is mainly related to the letters sector.

In the first half of 2023, the Bundesnetzagentur received 16,017 complaints. The total number received in 2023 up to the end of November was around 35,000. In November 2023 alone, about 5,000 complaints were received, slightly fewer than in November 2022 (6,756). The total number received in 2022 up to the end of November was 36,678.

So far in December (up to 12 December), the Bundesnetzagentur has received about 3,350 complaints. It is therefore likely that by the end of 2023 the total number for the year will again be well over 40,000.

If the Bundesnetzagentur receives an unusually large number of complaints from consumers in a certain region, it will investigate the postal operator. In the reporting period, the Bundesnetzagentur investigated in 86 such cases in 2022, while in 2023 it investigated in 18 cases up to 30 June 2023.

The evaluation of the figures on dispute resolution shows that many consumers would like to settle their disputes out of court.

In 2022, the Bundesnetzagentur received 3,180 requests for dispute resolution, fewer than in 2021 (3,752). The number of requests is still high. In 2023, 2,574 dispute resolution requests were received (up to 30 September).

The majority (54.20%) of the requests received in 2023 (up to 30 September) were made because of items being lost or stolen. The figure in 2022 was 49.53%. In 2022, there was an increase in the proportion of dispute resolution requests relating to parcels, accounting for just over 75%. In 2023 (up to 30 September), the figure was about 72.26%.