Just how good is Germany’s fixed-line internet really? The latest IMTEST 2026 fixed-line internet provider test, carried out in collaboration with zafaco GmbH, provides a well-founded answer to this question: the quality of internet connections in Germany is, on the whole, significantly better than its reputation. All nationwide providers achieved an overall rating of at least ‘good’, with the top two even achieving ‘very good’.
More than just speed: 76 criteria for a realistic assessment
For the test, zafaco analysed over 3.8 million measurements between 27 April and 24 May 2026. Nine providers, which serve around 95 per cent of all broadband customers in Germany, were assessed. The assessment is based on 76 individual criteria, which are grouped into five practical quality dimensions:
- Data
- Stability
- Streaming
- Browsing
- Voice
This multidimensional approach enables a realistic assessment of the actual user experience – going far beyond traditional bandwidth measurements.
Telekom back at the top
In the nationwide comparison, Telekom secured first place with an overall score of 1.22 (very good). The outstanding results in data transmission, stability, web browsing and telephony were particularly decisive.
Second place goes to 1&1 with an overall score of 1.26 (very good), confirming its consistently high performance. Next in the rankings are O₂ Telefónica (1.68; good) and Vodafone (1.99; good).
Regional providers impress
The regional rankings also reveal a very high standard of quality. M-net takes first place with an overall score of 1.40 (very good), just ahead of Tele Columbus/PŸUR (1.43), EWE (1.44) and NetCologne (1.49). There are just nine hundredths of a point separating first and fourth place – a sign of the intense competition on quality in the regional market.
Modern networks must deliver more
The results underline that the performance of an internet connection today involves far more than just high download speeds. Applications such as working from home, video conferencing, streaming, cloud services and online gaming place high demands on stability, response times and voice quality. It is precisely these aspects that the zafaco test methodology comprehensively assesses.
Independent quality measurement as a basis for decision-making
By combining extensive measurement data with a practical evaluation methodology, the IMTEST fixed-line test provides transparency for consumers, network operators and the market. The results show that the quality of Germany’s fixed-line infrastructure is generally of a high standard, whilst at the same time significant differences between individual providers remain.
The full IMTEST 2026 test of fixed-line internet providers has been published on IMTEST.de and in the daily newspapers of the FUNKE Media Group.