The Koblenz Regional Court in Germany has ruled that 1&1, a well-known internet service provider, has been engaging in deceptive advertising by marketing its fiber-to-the-curb service as true fiber-optic DSL. The court’s decision was based on the company’s use of copper cables for the final connection to customers’ homes, which can extend up to a mile from the distribution box. This practice is fundamentally at odds with the claims of full fiber optic connectivity, which has led to consumer deception.
According to the court’s findings, 1&1’s network employs copper lines for the last leg of the connection, even though the fiber optic cables terminate at street-level distribution boxes or building service rooms. To mitigate the slower speeds associated with copper lines, the company deploys vectoring technology, which is designed to increase DSL speeds to 100 megabits per second. Despite these efforts, the court found that this approach does not qualify as true fiber optic service, as it still relies heavily on traditional copper infrastructure.
The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (FOCO) filed the lawsuit against 1&1, arguing that any promise to deliver fiber optics must be fulfilled with actual fiber optic connectivity. Ramona Pop, the organization’s chairperson, criticized the company’s deceptive practices, stating that customers have a right to expect the service they are promised. The court’s ruling serves as a precedent for consumer protection in the telecommunications sector, emphasizing the importance of transparent communication and accurate representation of service offerings.
This case highlights a growing trend in consumer advocacy and regulatory scrutiny of telecommunications providers. As more companies offer high-speed internet services, the definition and standards for what constitutes