A comprehensive guide to internet in Germany

Is internet in Germany fast? What type connection is right for me? Find out all you need to know about internet in Germany!

Bas

3 minute read

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Updated on 12 Apr 2024

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Living

How does one of the world's leading economies compare when it comes to interned connectivity? With the increasing number of people working from home, the importance of access to a fast internet connection has become more apparent than ever. We’ll take a look at what German ISP are available and what connection type and speed you should look into for your new home in Germany. Let’s log into this topic!

If you’re living in any of Germany's major cities, your internet connection is probably provided by one of the country's leading telecommunications companies.

The best internet providers in Germany

There're 4 providers that stand out: Telekom, Vodafone, O2 and 1&1. Their offers are reasonably priced considering the speed and coverage of their networks. If you're choosing your own provider, keep in mind that for some, the cost per month changes after 7-12 months of your contract. Keep in mind that some contracts have a minimum term (Mindestlaufzeit), which can be up to 2 years, so make sure to read the fine print before signing.

In most cases, your internet provider was chosen by your landlord and included in your monthly rent. But sometimes they might've chosen a cheaper connection with lower speed and coverage. If that's the case you can always move the router to a higher place, buy a wifi extender or ask your landlord to change the internet provider.

There are useful comparison websites, like Check24.de where you can find the best provider for you based on your location, desired price and speed. In case you’re wondering what's the speed of your connection you can check it on Fast.com.

Tip: You can get attractive bundles combing TV or phone with wireless internet at a lower price.

4 steps to get an internet contract in Germany

After you choose the right provider for you, you have to complete a few steps before you can have WiFi in your home: 1. Go on the website of the provider you've chosen 2. Enter your address to check availability 3. Sign up through their website 4. Wait for your provider to sent you the router. They'll inform you about the date and whether a technician will come to set it up.

What’s the average internet speed in Germany?

Germany managed to double its average internet speed from around 27Mbps in 2015 to around 55 Mbps in 2020 (Cisco, 2020). Obviously, the speeds you can get depend on where you live, and on whether you live in an old or a modern building or part of a city.

Photo by Compare Fibre (owned by Amvia) via Unsplash

Most of Germany’s internet connections are ADSL connections. Essentially, a massive network of phone lines made out of copper cable. This type of connection supports download speeds up to around 250Mbps, so you can freely work from home or stream your favourite shows.

Average internet speed in Germany compared

So, the average internet speed in Germany is 55 Mbps, but how does that compare to other countries? Well, it’s certainly a lot better than that in India, which only has an average of 13 Mbps. It’s also better than the United States, which sees average speeds of 15-50 MBit/s depending on which state you look at. Let’s look at a few more examples:

Country Average Speed (Cisco, Cable.co.uk)

So, even though our Dutch neighbours are blowing our speed out of the water, German internet speeds aren’t so slow after all!

So, now you know everything about the internet in Germany. In short, Germany has everything a regular user needs to do their every day working from home, video streaming and online gaming!

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