Fiber optic expansion at the schools in Salzgitter

Minister Dr. Bernd Althusmann hands over the decision to Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel

This is primarily made possible by the fiber optic expansion funded by the federal government and the state of Lower Saxony. Half of the funding volume of around 2.18 million euros is being provided by the federal government and a quarter each by the state of Lower Saxony and the city of Salzgitter.

Avacon Connect GmbH won the tender procedure for the project and is now carrying out the necessary work as a partner of the city of Salzgitter.

In compliance with the necessary hygiene regulations, the state's funding decision was handed over to Mayor Frank Klingebiel by Lower Saxony's Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour, Transport and Digitalization, Dr Bernd Althusmann, on Tuesday, 4 May 2021.

At the handover, Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel emphasized: "The expansion of broadband architecture in our city is extremely important. Schools and public healthcare facilities in particular are dependent on a fast Internet connection. With this project, we are achieving this goal with a strong partner."

Minister Dr. Bernd Althusmann explained in his welcoming address at the handover of the notification: "The goal for Lower Saxony must be to ensure that our broadband infrastructure is future-proof and that in all regions of our state. A particular concern of mine is the gigabit-capable connection of schools in Lower Saxony. We have set ourselves the goal of providing all schools with gigabit-capable connections by the end of 2021. Only by connecting schools to gigabit-capable networks can we create the conditions for digitalization in schools! Today's symbolic ground-breaking ceremony here in Salzgitter lays the foundations for digital applications. In future, digital school education will be a reality in Salzgitter."

Symbolic ground-breaking ceremony (from left: Christoph Plett MdL, Dr. Stephan Tenge, Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel, Minister Dr. Bernd Althusmann, Esther Lischewski (Head of Kranich-Gymnasium) and Stefan Klein MdL)

Together with Dr. Stephan Tenge, representing Avacon, the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony was then held. Dr. Tenge, Chief Technology Officer of Avacon AG, said: "As part of the Avacon Group, our telecommunications subsidiary Avacon Connect is closely linked to the region and is consistently relying on the technical superiority and future-proofing of fiber optic technology to expand broadband coverage."

Sebastian Weinrich, Managing Director of Avacon Connect, added: "For this project, we will lay 34 kilometers of fiber optic cable and also use the existing fiber optic network of the city of Salzgitter to save costs and time. This will enable us to take the next step into the digitalized future, which is currently so urgently needed, especially in schools!"

If the work is completed without delay, Internet speeds of at least 1000 megabits per second (1 gigabit per second) with symmetrical download and upload rates will be available at all subsidized schools and facilities in Salzgitter by the end of the year.