Copper deadline nears: 5 moves for start-ups
A clear checklist for small firms facing Germany’s copper shutdown. See how to move fast, save money and stay reachable.
On 23 June 2025 the telecom regulator, Bundesnetzagentur, closed a public survey on switching off Germany’s old copper phone linåes. In that survey the regulator asked phone companies, city councils, and consumer groups how the change should happen, who should pay, and what rules are needed to protect alarms or care systems. The plan is not final yet, but the message is clear: the copper network will disappear. That worries many small firms that still use copper lines for alarms, card readers, or old DSL phones. With 24 million copper loops still in the ground, small business owners suddenly feel a countdown has started – and they did not press the timer.
Why the change feels risky
Most small firms in the Mittelstand still use copper for card readers, alarm systems or a simple DSL phone lines. 84% of all German companies belong to the Mittelstand. A report from FTTH Council Europe shows that Deutsche Telekom has only converted 5% of its network to fibre optics
Investors like a strict shut-off date because they earn more when customers move to fibre. But fibre does not yet reach everyone. At the end of 2024 only 47 % of homes and offices had fibre. The goal is 50 % this year. That still leaves many areas without a high-speed line when copper goes dark.
Counting the real cost
Every month a shop keeps its €29 DSL line, big carriers earn profit, and the copper inside the cable gains scrap value. If copper closes, the bill for new equipment and lost safety lines moves from the carriers to the smallest employers.
Copper Countdown Checklist: is your business ready?
What should small firms do now?
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# |
Task |
Details |
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1 |
Map your copper lines |
List every service that still needs a landline: alarms, card terminals, lift phones, fax, DSL router. |
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2 |
Check fibre coverage for your postcode |
Use any rollout map to see if fibre is reaching your postcode already. |
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3 |
Pick a new connection for your copper lines |
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4 |
Port your business number |
Don't lose your customers: port your business number to your new provider in advance. |
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5 |
Plan a back-up |
Keep one mobile line or battery pack for power cuts, and show staff how to use the new system |
A mobile-first safety net
A mobile phone system can keep you safe when copper shuts down.
While they wait for fibre, many start-ups look at mobile solutions. Rinkel, a Dutch provider trusted by 15 000 small firms in four European countries, puts your business number on the mobile network (GSM/VoLTE). No copper line and no Wi-Fi are needed. You still get useful tools—voice menu, call queue, and working-hours settings—inside one simple app. Try it for free and keep your calls flowing:
“Continuity first, shiny new cables second,” says Jeroen van Vierzen, CEO of Rinkel. “Until cost rules and coverage gaps are solved, mobile-network solutions give Germany’s smallest innovators room to breathe.”
The Bundesnetzagentur is expected to publish a final switch-off date later this year. Use the time now to set up your back-up so the phone never goes silent.
