SPIE deploys a fibre-optic network in the Dithmarschen region of Germany with a 680-kilometre route for gigabit-capable Internet provision

Düsseldorf, Germany, 18 June 2026 – SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, has been contracted by the Dithmarschen Broadband Association to implement the passive fibre-optic infrastructure in digitally underserved rural areas, thus creating the basis for a regionwide high-speed Internet service. The project is part of the German government’s Gigabit Strategy, which aims to realise nationwide fibre-to-the-home by 2030. Work commenced in June 2024 and should be largely completed in 2026.

General contractor SPIE is implementing the fibre-optic infrastructure in four lots. The project comprises an approximately 680-kilometre new route, over 1,000 kilometres of empty conduits and fibre-optic cables, several hundred street cabinets, as well as more than 2,000 FTTH connections.

It is also one of the most technically challenging broadband projects in northern Germany. Around 90 per cent of the cables will be installed using horizontal directional drilling (HDD), a precise method that reduces the environmental impact and causes minimum surface disruption to landscapes, roads and agricultural land.

The connection of the fibre-optic cables to the existing network infrastructure is also particularly complex. SPIE is expanding the fibre-optic network by precisely integrating new sections into the existing infrastructure. This involves splicing fibre-optic cables directly into the network, often under constrained conditions and while adjacent network sections remain in operation. “The key isn’t just speed. What really matters is how well everyone involved works together. That’s what allows us to maintain technical precision up to the last FTTH connection,” explained Gracjan Wink, Senior Construction Manager in the CityNetworks & Grids Operational Division at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria.

Dithmarschen is one of the most significant regions in northern Germany when it comes to the economy and energy policy, with a high density of wind energy installations, the largest industrial zone in Schleswig-Holstein and ongoing hydrogen energy and industrial decarbonisation projects. In light of this, an efficient digital infrastructure is a key prerequisite for the continued development of agriculture, trade and tourism, as well as for modern employment, education and public administration services. “As the contracting authority, we particularly value SPIE’s reliable and professional execution,” said Meike Dimpker from the Dithmarschen Broadband Association’s administrative office at the Westholstein Development Agency.

Peter Pfannenstiel, General Manager of the CityNetworks & Grids Operational Division at SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria, emphasised: “The project demonstrates how we are using our technical expertise to deliver digital infrastructure in rural areas, making a tangible contribution to digital transformation and to the long-term viability of entire regions.”