Vodafone Germany is killing the open internet – one peering connection at a time
15 days ago
- #Net Neutrality
- #Internet Infrastructure
- #Telecom Monopoly
- Vodafone Germany is withdrawing from public internet exchange points (IXPs) by the end of 2025, including DE-CIX Frankfurt, the largest IXP globally.
- Traffic will now route through Inter.link, a 'peering-as-a-service' provider that charges content providers based on data volume, shifting costs away from Vodafone.
- Deutsche Telekom's similar model led to severe customer issues: slow downloads, high latency, and peak-hour throttling, prompting regulatory complaints.
- Early Vodafone customer complaints show similar patterns—YouTube, gaming, and streaming services degrading, especially during peak hours.
- Vodafone claims 'lower latencies and more resilience,' but experts argue mandatory intermediaries increase latency and reduce transparency.
- The move reflects a broader telecom trend to monetize interconnection, potentially violating EU net neutrality laws.
- Regulators (BEREC, German Federal Network Agency) are investigating, but resolutions may take years, leaving customers with degraded service.
- Starlink offers an alternative, bypassing terrestrial ISP throttling with consistent speeds, though at higher hardware costs.
- Vodafone’s model risks creating a two-tier internet, where only paying content providers get reliable access to customers.