Uwe Szafran, Klaus Lange
TeleBüros und Telehäuser in den neuen Bundesländern - eine erste Evaluation
Nr. 91 / Juni 1992
(no longer available)
Summary
In the new German Bundesländer, unconventional measures were taken to overcome tremendous telecommunications deficits.
Within a very short time teleoffices ("TeleBüros") of the DBP Telekom should establish direct telephone and telefax links from the bigger cities to the west. Beyond these basic telecommunications services telecottages ("Telehäuser"), which are in most cases operated by private associations, should offer in the long run more elaborated services primarily to business costumers in peripheral regions. Both concepts had - though to a different degree - only limited success.
With the end of 1991, 13 teleoffices and 8 telecottages were in operation. Contrary to expectations the attendance ot these institutions was - up to some exceptions - rather low. With the start of the digital overlay network mid 1991 the demand - especially for the teleoffices - declined. One could assume that the "public" service offers didn't meet the private telecommunications needs, and that business costumers partially used alternative communication paths. Considering the insufficient demand, the heavy investments for many institutions cannot be justified.
The establishment of teleoffices and telecottages happened slow-paced for reasons of personal, organizational and technical restrictions. The western promotors partially misjudged the importance of these restrictions. Especially marketing efforts were insufficient.
Some of the teleoffices, which from the very beginning were only planned as temporal establishments, are now closed by the DBP Telekom, others are carried on as regular service points. Telecottages, which are planned as a long-term infrastructure measure, have to adjust flexible to the local conditions for their continuance. They have to review their dimensions and their service spectrum.
Despite of these critical remarks, there should be acknowledged that teleoffices and telecottages have satisfied essential telecommunications needs of residential and business costumers during the first months of German reunification.
Only German language version available.
Discussion Paper is no longer available.