Bundesnetzagentur publishes rules for proving reduced performance in mobile communications
Year of issue 2026
Date of issue 2026.04.15
The Bundesnetzagentur has today published a general administrative order regarding the reduction rules for mobile-network internet access as well as guidelines with specific requirements for proving reduced performance. The rules come into effect on 20 April 2026. On the same date an app will also become available for use in the proof of performance procedure.
“Our rules define the minimum performance in mobile communications. Consumers can use our measurement tool to check and prove whether the quality of their mobile internet access differs considerably from the maximum performance as agreed in their contract. This enables the consumer to assert their right of reduction of the price or their right to early termination of their contract,
” said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur.
Specific requirements for reduced performance
Proof of reduced performance generally requires 30 measurements to have been taken. These must have been taken over the course of five calendar days with six measurements taken per day. A significant discrepancy in the speed arises where the agreed estimated maximum speed – less certain deductions – has not been achieved on at least three of the five measurement days. Should the necessary proof have already been gathered after three measurement days, the set of measurements can be curtailed. Consumers are thus relieved of the burden of measurement if the results are already determined earlier.
The Bundesnetzagentur has allowed for regional differences by dividing the federal republic into 300 m x 300 m raster cells. In areas with a high density of households, a deduction of 75% is applied, which means that at least 25% of the agreed estimated maximum speed must be achieved. In areas with a medium density of households 15% must be achieved (deduction of 85%) and 10% achieved in areas with a low density of households (deduction of 90%). Given the maximum speeds of several hundred megabits per second often set out in contracts, most consumers still get high transmission rates even with these deductions.
A regional approach has been taken as mobile communications performance does not occur at one fixed location and therefore the regional performance of the networks must be taken into consideration. In addition, several users will be sharing the locally available capacity. Both these factors combine to make it considerably more complex to show binding proof of reduced performance in mobile communications than it is for fixed-line networks.
Evidence by app
From 20 April 2026 a special app for proof of mobile performance will be available to provide objective evidence. This app (in German: Breitbandmessung Nachweisverfahren Mobilfunk) can be downloaded free of charge from any commonly used app store. More information on the app is available (in German) at www.breitbandmessung.de/mobil-testen.
Legal requirements
The Telecommunications Act grants certain rights to the consumer in the event of reduced performance. The consumer may reduce the contractually agreed price for their internet access or terminate their contract without notice. Consumers have recourse to these options in the case of substantial, continuous or regularly repeated discrepancies in speed between the actual performance of the internet access services and the performance cited by the provider. They have to supply proof using a monitoring mechanism provided by the Bundesnetzagentur.
To clarify the legal requirements for a price reduction for mobile-network internet access, the Bundesnetzagentur had presented initial proposals on the key elements of the procedure for consultation. The resulting comments were taken into consideration in the draft general administrative order and guidelines that have also been the subject of consultation.
In 2021 the Bundesnetzagentur had issued rules on fixed-line connections.
The general administrative order and the guidelines, additional information, previous consultations and the comments received during those procedures have been published by the Bundesnetzagentur (in German) at www.bundesnetzagentur.de/breitbandgeschwindigkeiten.