Vodafone Deutschland looks to law change with Hesse housing deal

Andreas Fuchs, head of housing association business, Vodafone with Constantin Westphal & Monika Fontaine-Kretschmer of NHW and Andreas Ziener, head of housisng association business, Vodafone for Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland (©Stefan Krutsch Photography; source: Vodafone Deutschland)

Vodafone Deutschland and the Nassauische Heimstätte Wohnstadt (NHW) group of companies have struck a strategic partnership for TV provision and the development and expansion of a fibre network in Hesse. 

Under the deal, almost 60,000 apartments across the state of Hesse stand to benefit, according to Vodafone.

Fibre connections are being built out by OXG Glasfaser GmbH, a joint venture that Vodafone and the French group Altice founded in March this year.

The agreement comes ahead of the change in the law in German that will see the end of collective contracts fodr cable TV connections bundled in with rental agreements.

The fibre network build-out will start with the first districts in 2024 and will then be completed district by district in several steps by 2035. The fibre network is being built by OXG Glasfaser GmbH, a joint venture that Vodafone and the French group Altice founded in March 2023.

The infrastructure provided by the Fibre Optic Alliance is an open access fiber network.

“We are looking forward to working with Hesse’s largest landlord. With our broadband network, we are already bringing fast internet and a diverse TV programme line-up to people in their rental apartments. And we will will soon begin fibre expansion in the neighborhoods – for even better and future-proof digital service,” said Andreas Fuchs, head of housing association business at Vodafone.

“So that our tenants don’t find themselves without television coverage shortly before the European Football Championships and have to wade through offers from many TV providers, we looked for a strong partner and found it in Vodafone. In addition to an attractive TV and radio entertainment offering, it also ensures the provision of Internet and telephony, if our tenants wish this,” said Urban Keller, head of multimedia/contracting at MET, a subsidiary of NHW.

“Fibre optic technology is future-proof. With a transmission speed of up to one gigabit per second, everything that high-speed Internet has to offer today can be used: music and video streaming in the highest quality and smooth video conferences in the home office,” said MET managing director Michael Mahlich.