A good digital infrastructure is the number one location factor—both for businesses and for the people who live in the region!
That is why we have been successfully campaigning for broadband expansion in the region for many years. By specifically applying for federal and state funding and working closely with relevant partners, we have succeeded in providing the district of Steinfurt with high-performance gigabit connections across almost the entire area, thereby actively shaping the digital future of the region. This strengthens the competitiveness of the regional economy and the quality of life of our citizens.
Since the end of 2025, the district-wide fiber optic expansion has been largely completed. The result:
Immediate connection options for > 95 percent of all households and businesses in the Steinfurt district (Homes Passed coverage)
This success is the result of a long-term strategy: Back in 2010, the Steinfurt district defined fiber optic networks to the home (FTTH) as the best, most sustainable, and most future-proof solution and consistently aligned its strategy with this. Our success is based on two central pillars:
- Creating attractive investment conditions for private companies and thus specifically stimulating self-financed expansion
- Acquisition of subsidies for expansion in uneconomical areas
Wherever possible, we have dispensed with subsidies.
Our guiding principle is: "As much self-financed expansion as possible, as much funding as necessary!"
Our success proves us right.
There is fierce competition among telecommunications providers in our district of Steinfurt. Approximately 85 percent of all addresses are supplied by private investment without any subsidies. The following list provides an overview of the active providers with their own infrastructure in the district that operate fiber optic connections to homes:
The district of Steinfurt has supervised 21 funding projects for underserved rural areas with download speeds of less than 100 Mbit/s and for commercial areas. The expansion was completed in all projects by the end of 2025. Despite some significant project extensions along the way, we were able to implement the projects in collaboration with the expanding companies in a much more cost-efficient manner than expected:
Approved funding: EUR 167 million
Funding utilized: max. EUR 153 million
Savings: EUR 14 million
In the district of Steinfurt, 11 of 24 towns and municipalities in the commercial areas did not yet have comprehensive FTTB coverage. The special call for commercial areas as part of the federal government's broadband promotion program made it possible to ensure comprehensive FTTB coverage for underserved commercial areas in a timely manner. These areas are now 100 percent covered by fiber optic connections.
You can find the expansion projects in the cities and municipalities here.
