From 3b5212188f732962ab25f962e0beeff902917a55 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ana Galan Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2025 09:49:43 +0100 Subject: [PATCH] adding router freedom news item --- ...-01.de.xhtml => news-20250124-01.de.xhtml} | 0 fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250124-01.en.xhtml | 209 ++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 209 insertions(+) rename fsfe.org/news/2025/{news-20250125-01.de.xhtml => news-20250124-01.de.xhtml} (100%) create mode 100644 fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250124-01.en.xhtml diff --git a/fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250125-01.de.xhtml b/fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250124-01.de.xhtml similarity index 100% rename from fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250125-01.de.xhtml rename to fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250124-01.de.xhtml diff --git a/fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250124-01.en.xhtml b/fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250124-01.en.xhtml new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..6f4ca50c3e --- /dev/null +++ b/fsfe.org/news/2025/news-20250124-01.en.xhtml @@ -0,0 +1,209 @@ + + +1 + + + Router Freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers! + + + + +

Router Freedom in Germany: A victory for consumers!

+ +

+After a failed attempt by internet providers to exclude Router Freedom +from fiber networks, the German regulator BNetzA has confirmed Router +Freedom in the country. The FSFE, which has been pushing for this since +2013, will continue to monitor implementation and compliance. +

+ +
+illustration of a router with wings and the wifi sign on top of it +
+ +

Router Freedom is the right to choose and use the router or modem of +your choice to connect to the Internet. Similar to freedom of +choice regarding smartphones or other internet devices, Router Freedom +is the hardware aspect of net neutrality. In 2013, the FSFE in +cooperation with other organisations, started to +advocate for it in Germany, pushing this agenda with decision +makers, resulting in a law in 2016 safeguarding Router Freedom for +end-users.

+ +

In the imminence of the 9th anniversary of the law which, in 2016, +introduced Router Freedom in Germany, the German telecom regulator +Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) has +successfully concluded a regulatory procedure (DE) requested by an +association of fiber network operators in Germany to exclude Router +Freedom from fiber networks. The request, made in 2023, was based on a +series of arguments including security of the network, cost of support, +quality of service and interoperability issues.

+ +

No technical necessity to limit Router Freedom in fiber +networks

In September, 2023, the FSFE submitted a detailed + position paper debunking the arguments of the fiber operators. We called + on the regulator to dismiss the request, as no legal or technical + reason could support excluding Router Freedom from fiber. Indeed, + although the network operators have tried to pose fiber networks as a + special case, we have demonstrated that there is no objective + technological necessity to abolish Router Freedom. On the contrary, + Router Freedom for fiber represents freedom of choice, security, + consumer welfare, fair competition and sustainability.

+ +

The German regulator has analysed the case applying the Guidelines proposed by BEREC, +the association of the European telecom regulators, on the +location of the “Network Termination Point” (NTP). The Guidelines on +the NTP allow national authorities to limit Router Freedom if +an “objective technical necessity” could be established. The criteria +for that included interoperability, security, simplicity of operation +and data protection factors. The German operators requested BNetzA to +completely limit end-users possibility to choose their own routers or to +separate the fiber optical terminal (ONT), so +personal routers could be used only in “bridge mode”, which would also +negatively impact consumer choice.

+ +
+Illustration with different bubbles with information explaining why there is no router freedom without Free Software. One bubble says own the router, own the code; another "configure your router"; another "avoid dependency"; another "maintain your router; and the last one "keep your privacy". The illustration has a white background, with lines and bubble titles in different blue colours. +
+ +

In its comprehensive +decision (DE), BNetzA rejected all the arguments brought forward by +the telecom operators, explaining in detail why freedom of terminal +equipment complies with each of the criteria required by +BEREC. Among them, we highlight:

+ + + +

A victory for long-lasting civil society engagement

+ +

The FSFE's advocacy for +Router Freedom started in 2013, way before the German law enacting +this right entered in force. In 2019, during the reform of the EU +telecom law, we expanded our efforts to the European level, engaging +with national and European regulators. Router Freedom has became a +reality in diverse EU countries, including + Finland, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.

+ +

In all these processes we engaged local communities, experts and +decision makers to protect the rights of end-users. Community support +was key for achieving such success. For instance, the FSFE conducted a +two-year project among its communities to collect data about abuses by +telecom operators and other difficulties related to Router Freedom. The +overarching survey resulted in a comprehensive report published +in 2023 demonstrating how internet providers still hamper +consumer freedom of choice, exercise lock-in over internet equipment and +promote proprietary devices.

+ +

All over Europe, end-users have manifested their support for our work +towards improving egulatory policies safeguarding the right to choose +and use routers and modems. More than 90% of the participants in our +survey agreed Router Freedom is key for open internet, security and data +protection, fair competition and digital sustainability.

+ +

Help us expanding Router Freedom to other countries

+ +

As Router Freedom represents the hardware layer of net neutrality, it is an important policy demand.

+ +
+Table with rows and columns in different green tones. +
In this chart of types of connection and router + usage can be seen that, although the majority of DSL subscribers use + their own routers, those on fiber and coaxial connections are still + dependent on providers’ equipment.
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+ + +

Differently from Germany, Router Freedom is still not a reality in +several EU countries. The regulatory framework remains fragmented with +countries like Austria and +France, which decided to abolish Router Freedom, or countries like +Greece, which was not able to +fully commit to end-users rights, allowing Router +Freedom only for limited types of networks.

+ +

That’s why we count on your support. There is still a lot to be +done. Device +Neutrality is threatened not only by internet service providers, +but also by software and hardware manufacturers and vendors not +respecting end-users freedoms and rights. We strongly believe that +software freedom should be the default standard and end-users should +not be imprisoned into lock-ins. Tech companies should not trap users +into walled gardens that limit what they can do with their devices.

+ +
+Device Neutrality poster: in a greenish-greyish background, a big illustration in the center of two birds breaking from a cage. On top of it you can read "set your devices free" and some other information in a smaller type size. Under the cage, the url www.deviceneutrality.org and on the lower right corner, the device neutrality logo and on the lower left corner, the FSFE logo +
It is time for us to liberate all + our devices, including routers and modems. Help us with a donation to + achieve this in Europe!
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+

We need your support for our long-lasting engagement. We are ready to +fight for Router Freedom in the next decade. Join our cause now!

+ +

+ Become an FSFE + supporter now! + +

+ + + + + +News + +Router Freedom +Germany +Device Neutrality +Highlights + + + + +illustration of a router with wings and the wifi sign on top of it + + +