More and more households in Germany are connected to fiber optics. When concluding a contract, however, consumers should pay attention to the wording, advises the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center.
The fiber optic expansion in Germany is progressing slowly but steadily. In many cases, older lines are replaced with modern fiber optics. However, the cable does not always actually reach the apartment or house. Apparently, however, representatives often withhold this fact during home visits.
Misleading fiber optic contracts
It’s nothing new for companies to send representatives door-to-door to canvass customers for a fiber optic contract. In itself, the practice is also legitimate. However, according to the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center, the methods some representatives are using to persuade people to switch to fiber optics are misleading.
The head office received reports from consumers who felt “badly informed and sometimes even under pressure in the sales talks”. There are also free riders who would offer conventional Internet contracts as fiber optics.
Consumer center warns of wrong fiber optics
So it would happen again and again that representatives advertise fiber optics on the front door, but in fact sell cable connections. According to the consumer center, they use marketing terms such as “cable fiber optics”, “coax fiber optics” and “gigabit connection”. Behind these terms are certain expansion stages that do not bring fiber optics directly into your own home.
In technical jargon, the expansion stages are differentiated with “Fiber to the x”, whereby the “x” stands for the point to which fiber optics actually reach. “Cable fiber optics” and similar terms denote a lower level of expansion. For example, “Fiber to the Node” (FTTN) extends to the junction box on the street. Fiber to the Basement (FTTB) extends to the basement of a building. In these cases, however, the last stretch is often covered with old copper cables. The full fiber optic speed is therefore not achievable. Customers only get a real fiber optic connection with “Fiber to the Home” (FTTH), as directly into their own apartment.
Also Read: How Can Renters Get Fiber Optic Home?
Customers can cancel the contract
The consumer center points out that customers can make use of their right of withdrawal for fiber optic contracts. The law applies to contracts that were not concluded in a provider’s shop itself – for example at the front door, at a sales stand, by telephone or online. In these cases, there is a period of 14 days in which customers can change their mind and withdraw from the contract.