Deutsche Glasfaser charges 60 euros for router freedom
Summary
In early 2021 Deutsche Glasfaser charged customers 60 euros if they wanted to connect their own router directly to the fibre instead of the operator’s ONT, and then refused contract changes. The online magazine Deskmodder reported on a complaint to the consumer advice centre and the Federal Network Agency. The operator understood router freedom to mean that customers may connect any devices via LAN behind its ONT.
Ideas
- An ONT converts light into electrical Ethernet signals.
- Its power supply makes it an active network termination point.
- Customer complaints in forums dragged on for months.
Insights
- Different interpretations of the same term shift rights to the detriment of customers.
- Public complaints are often what gets regulatory questions moving.
Facts
- The flat fee for router freedom was 60 euros.
- In August 2020 a practical guideline of the Federal Network Agency (ATRT) confirmed the connection socket as the network termination point, also for FTTH.
References
Critique
- The report quotes the terms of use but leaves open how many customers are affected.
Recommendations
- Also compare fibre contracts by their rules on your own terminal equipment.
- Run your own router behind a provider ONT to keep control over your home network.
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