90% of Germany’s population aged 16+ regularly use online communications services (at least once a month), mainly with smartphones. This represents an increase of seven percentage points compared with 2019. Overall, the take-up of these services is comparable to that of traditional telecommunications services.
Market monitoring
Online communications services have brought about a great deal of change to the telecommunications sector in recent years. The Bundesnetzagentur’s task is to closely monitor the associated developments.
The increasing use of the internet and mobile devices (in particular smartphones) has led to messaging, internet telephony, video telephony and video conferencing services becoming firmly established alongside traditional telecommunications services (such as fixed and mobile telephony). The growth in the importance of online communications services is leading to fundamental changes in the way people communicate and can also have effects on the regulated telecommunications markets. The Bundesnetzagentur monitors and analyses market developments in the field of online communications services and NI-ICS from both the providers’ perspective (NI-ICS market overview) and the consumers’ perspective (consumer surveys) in order to gain an overview of the market that is as exhaustive as possible.
NI-ICS market overview
The revised Telecommunications Act extended the Bundesnetzagentur’s powers for obtaining information to include providers of NI-ICS. The Bundesnetzagentur has introduced an annual mandatory survey for providers with the greatest market relevance in Germany, requiring them to submit their market data for the previous calendar year. The Bundesnetzagentur carried out the first survey at the beginning of 2023 with the primary aim of being able to assess the structure of the market as well as the status and development of competition in the telecommunications sector.
The results of the annual NI-ICS market data surveys are published in the Bundesnetzagentur’s annual telecoms reports, which are available from the media library on the Bundesnetzagentur’s website.
The latest NI-ICS market overview and further information about the status and development of the telecommunications markets are available in the media library (German web page).
Further figures relating to digitalisation and telecommunications are available here (German web page).
Further figures relating to digitalisation and telecommunications are available here (German web page).
Consumer survey in 2023
Empirical consumer surveys provide an important basis for identifying and assessing changes in communication patterns. The results of a representative consumer survey on the use of online communications services in Germany are an important basis for the Bundesnetzagentur’s market monitoring and consumer protection activities.
Use of online communications services in Germany 2023 consumer survey results (Executive summary) (pdf / 398 KB)
Methodology report 2023 (in German) (pdf / 363 KB)
Latest press release (in German)
Methodology report 2023 (in German) (pdf / 363 KB)
Latest press release (in German)
Results 2023 (excerpt)
