Broadband Berlin 2017
Analysis of Berlin's broadband expansion
Berlin's senate's department for economics, energy and public enterprises together with the federal ministry for transport and digital infrastructure (BMVI) and TÜV Rheinland for the first time published data on the state of the broadband expansion in Berlin under an open license by the end of 2017. This process is exemplary for Berlin's open-by-default strategy, thereby, any third-party interaction that results in data, should produce open data (if the data does not include personal data). The new broadband data is available in Berlin's statistical districts (LORs). The historic data on broadband access in Berlin was based on city parts, not the LORs, therefore, it is difficult to compare the historic data and the latest results.
Broadband expansion
For the last 7 years, Berlin's senate is collecting data on the broadband expansion. The data shows, that around 2011 many former eastern districts were lacking high speed broadband access. By now many have caught up, even Pankow.
For normal internet activities 16 Mbit/s connections are enough.
50 Mbit/s are required for high definition streaming and professional applications.
Availability for private users in percentage
Availability for private users in percentage
16Mbit | 50Mbit
The underlying data is split between private and business connections. Especially the business internet connections in central Berlin have progressed well and many users have access to high speed internet.
Availability in percentage
A spatial analysis of the underlying data revealed several patterns. The historic data had a stronger difference of the high-speed expansion progress between former east and west Berlin districts. In the latest data, this pattern is not visible anymore. East as well as west districts both have a mix of low and high-speed areas. For business and private connections the central areas are better off than the outer areas. There is also a slight correlation between higher populated areas been prioritised. Black line is the trendline.
Private connections, sorted by centrality
From left central to right outer areas
100 Mbit/s
50 Mbit/s
16 Mbit/s
Private connections, sorted by former east, border zone and west
100 Mbit/s
50 Mbit/s
16 Mbit/s
Private connections, sorted by population
From left low population to right high population
100 Mbit/s
50 Mbit/s
16 Mbit/s
Business connections, sorted by centrality
From left central to right outer areas
100 Mbit/s
50 Mbit/s
10 Mbit/s
Business connections, sorted by former east, border zone and west
100 Mbit/s
50 Mbit/s
10 Mbit/s
Business connections, sorted by populations
From left low to right high population
100 Mbit/s
50 Mbit/s
10 Mbit/s
The slow expansion in the outer districts of Berlin is particularly serious in highly populated areas. Even though Pankow has caught up, the still underdeveloped district is Berlin's district with the highest population, thereby, a lot of people still have no access to high-speed internet. The situation is similar for Treptow-Köpenick and Lichtenberg.
For calculating the impact, the broadband availability was combined with population data. It is important to note that the resulting population numbers are not 100% correct, as we don't have data on a house by house level on neither population nor broadband speed. The results are only estimates and should be interpreted as trends.