Slowness from Deutsche Telekom / Magenta Telekom / Other DTAG EU ISPs

A common complaint we’ve been getting recently is that our website and downloads are slow for people using Deutsche Telekom (DTAG) and other T-Mobile internet providers in Europe, especially during busy (“peak”) times.

The underlying cause is complicated, but in simple terms: DTAG appears to let some network connections become overcrowded unless the other side pays extra for better access. This can effectively create “fast lanes” for those who pay more. We (LCPDFR.com) and our providers don’t pay for these fast lanes, because it goes against the idea of a free and open internet. As a result, performance can drop at peak times.

This issue also affects major internet infrastructure providers, including Cloudflare.

More information:

• German: https://netzbremse.de/

• English: https://netzbremse.de/en/

The organisation above has submitted a complaint to the Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), which is responsible for net neutrality and enforcement in Germany. They will review the complaint.

If you’re affected and you’re a DTAG customer, you can add your opinion in support of the complaint.