[heffer]

In similar news: The German regulator (BNetzA) just re-confirmed two weeks ago [0] that passive optical networks are not exempt from § 73 (1) of the TKG (Telecommunication law) which mandates that the interface between provider and customer is required to be a passive interface (i.e. mandating an ONT is already in violation of that). And that is fine. The different PON standards are reasonably well standardized and can operate in these standard modes for most equipment manufacturers. The NSP may lose some proprietary features, but the past has shown that equipment manufacturers have adapted for the German market accordingly. The law does allow exemptions, mainly if required for access technology reasons, but clearly states that even in that case the device that connects the end-user devices to the service (i.e. router) cannot be mandated by the ISP. They can provide one, but they cannot prevent you from connecting your own.

I do sometimes miss living in Germany.

[0]: Press release in German: https://www.bundesnetzagentur.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilung...

[jiehong]

But internet in Germany is famously spotty and not great, at least compared to our neighbours the French or the Polish.

[mixermachine]

It's getting better. The situation is not ideal but very slow connections with <100 MBit/s are rare now.

[martijnvds]

I think there are similar rules (or there will soon be) in all of Europe.

[Diti]

Yes¹, but most European countries do not honor these yet².

____

[1]: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32...

[2]: https://umap.openstreetmap.fr/en/map/router-freedom-tracker-...