Pinsent Masons advises Telefónica Deutschland on glass fibre joint venture of Allianz and Telefónica Group

The Telefónica Group and the Allianz want to drive forward the roll-out of fibre optic networks in Germany. For this purpose the two companies set up a joint venture which will build up the fibre optic networks and provide access to it for telecommunications service providers, particularly in rural and suburban regions. As a result, Telefónica Deutschland and other telecommunications service providers will be able to offer more powerful fibre optic connections for end customers (Fibre-to-the-Home). There are plans to supply 2.2 million households in previously underserved areas with fibre over the next six years and to invest up to EUR 5 billion in the roll-out.

Telefónica Germany will, inter alia, provide the joint venture with transport services via the existing transport network. This will enable the joint venture to provide FTTH wholesale products to telecommunications service providers also via central interconnection points in Germany, so that the telecommunications service providers can market the FTTH offers for end customers based on these products more flexibly.

Dr. Marc Salevic, partner of Pinsent Masons' TMT practice: "We are proud that we supported Telefónica during this interesting and also important project. Our central challenge in this project was the contractual arrangement of the transport services required for this."

Telefónica Germany GmbH & Co. OHG is a longstanding client of the German practice of Pinsent Masons. Most recently, the firm has advised the company on numerous technology projects and transactions.

Pinsent Masons' team of advisors includes Dr. Marc Salevic, Rebecca Trampe-Berger and Dr. Florian von Baum.