Germany
Customer development
thousands |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Sept. 30, |
June 30, |
Change |
Dec. 31, |
Change |
Sept. 30, |
Change |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mobile customers |
72,813 |
71,126 |
2.4 |
68,553 |
6.2 |
66,920 |
8.8 |
||
Contract customers |
27,414 |
27,039 |
1.4 |
26,532 |
3.3 |
26,203 |
4.6 |
||
Prepaid customers |
45,399 |
44,086 |
3.0 |
42,021 |
8.0 |
40,717 |
11.5 |
||
Fixed-network lines |
16,879 |
16,981 |
(0.6) |
17,155 |
(1.6) |
17,212 |
(1.9) |
||
Retail broadband lines |
15,101 |
15,126 |
(0.2) |
15,152 |
(0.3) |
15,136 |
(0.2) |
||
Of which: optical fibera |
13,320 |
13,298 |
0.2 |
13,213 |
0.8 |
13,152 |
1.3 |
||
Television (IPTV, satellite) |
4,725 |
4,698 |
0.6 |
4,638 |
1.9 |
4,590 |
2.9 |
||
Unbundled local loop lines (ULLs) |
1,616 |
1,705 |
(5.2) |
1,887 |
(14.4) |
2,020 |
(20.0) |
||
Wholesale broadband lines |
8,561 |
8,570 |
(0.1) |
8,587 |
(0.3) |
8,547 |
0.2 |
||
Of which: optical fibera |
7,624 |
7,617 |
0.1 |
7,602 |
0.3 |
7,569 |
0.7 |
||
|
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Total
In Germany, we continue to be market leader both in terms of fixed-network and mobile revenues. This success is attributable to our high-performance networks, a broad product portfolio, and good service. We want to offer our customers a seamless and technology-neutral telecommunications experience. We regularly adapt our product portfolio to address the needs of our customers.
Mobile communications
Our Germany operating segment had a total of 72.8 million mobile customers as of September 30, 2025. The number of high-value mobile contract customers under the Telekom and congstar brands grew by 773 thousand customers overall against December 31, 2024. Sustained high demand for mobile rate plans with data volumes continues to drive this trend. The prepaid customer base grew by 8.0 % against the end of 2024, driven in particular by the M2M SIM cards used in the automotive industry.
Fixed network
Demand for our fiber optic-based lines has risen slightly since the end of 2024, with the total number of lines growing to 20.9 million. This growth is driven by demand for higher bandwidths. The number of retail broadband lines remained more or less stable against the end of 2024 at a total of 15.1 million customers. Around 54 % of the customers have subscribed to a rate plan with speeds of 100 Mbit/s or higher. The rise in demand for our TV content drove growth in our TV customer base of 87 thousand against year-end 2024, an increase of 1.9 %. The number of fixed-network lines decreased by 1.6 % to 16.9 million lines on account of the decline in the voice product.
Wholesale
As of September 30, 2025, fiber-optic-based wholesale broadband lines accounted for 74.9 % of all lines – an increase of 2.3 percentage points against the end of 2024. This growing share is a result of the demand for our commitment agreements. Ongoing demand among retail customers for higher-bandwidth lines also contributed to the increase. The number of unbundled local loop lines decreased by 272 thousand compared with the end of the prior year, while fiber-optic-based wholesale broadband lines increased by 22 thousand. These developments result partly from the shift to higher-value fiber-optic-based lines and partly from consumers switching to other providers. In addition, our wholesale partners are migrating their retail customers to their own infrastructures. The total number of wholesale lines at September 30, 2025 was 10.2 million.
Development of operations
millions of € |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Q1-Q3 |
Q1-Q3 |
Change |
Q1 2025 |
Q2 2025 |
Q3 2025 |
Q3 2024 |
Change |
FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revenue |
|
18,852 |
19,132 |
(1.5) |
6,219 |
6,286 |
6,347 |
6,465 |
(1.8) |
25,711 |
Consumers |
|
9,560 |
9,839 |
(2.8) |
3,199 |
3,165 |
3,196 |
3,333 |
(4.1) |
13,174 |
Business customers |
|
6,408 |
6,432 |
(0.4) |
2,128 |
2,151 |
2,129 |
2,167 |
(1.7) |
8,727 |
Wholesale |
|
2,447 |
2,439 |
0.3 |
797 |
827 |
823 |
822 |
0.2 |
3,249 |
Other |
|
437 |
422 |
3.5 |
96 |
142 |
199 |
144 |
37.8 |
561 |
Service revenue |
|
16,919 |
16,771 |
0.9 |
5,591 |
5,659 |
5,669 |
5,655 |
0.2 |
22,480 |
EBITDA |
|
8,180 |
7,410 |
10.4 |
2,708 |
2,680 |
2,792 |
2,370 |
17.8 |
10,082 |
Special factors affecting EBITDA |
|
(262) |
(915) |
71.3 |
(81) |
(78) |
(103) |
(518) |
80.1 |
(1,056) |
EBITDA (adjusted for special factors) |
|
8,443 |
8,325 |
1.4 |
2,789 |
2,758 |
2,895 |
2,888 |
0.3 |
11,138 |
EBITDA AL |
|
7,710 |
6,944 |
11.0 |
2,553 |
2,526 |
2,630 |
2,212 |
18.9 |
9,459 |
Special factors affecting EBITDA AL |
|
(262) |
(915) |
71.3 |
(81) |
(78) |
(103) |
(518) |
80.1 |
(1,056) |
EBITDA AL (adjusted for special factors) |
|
7,972 |
7,859 |
1.4 |
2,634 |
2,605 |
2,733 |
2,731 |
0.1 |
10,516 |
EBITDA AL margin (adjusted for special factors) |
% |
42.3 |
41.1 |
|
42.4 |
41.4 |
43.1 |
42.2 |
|
40.9 |
Depreciation, amortization and impairment losses |
|
(3,342) |
(3,263) |
(2.4) |
(1,106) |
(1,101) |
(1,135) |
(1,101) |
(3.1) |
(4,384) |
Profit (loss) from operations (EBIT) |
|
4,839 |
4,147 |
16.7 |
1,603 |
1,579 |
1,657 |
1,269 |
30.6 |
5,698 |
EBIT margin |
% |
25.7 |
21.7 |
|
25.8 |
25.1 |
26.1 |
19.6 |
|
22.2 |
Cash capex |
|
(3,297) |
(3,637) |
9.4 |
(1,249) |
(1,013) |
(1,035) |
(1,084) |
4.5 |
(4,782) |
Cash capex (before spectrum investment) |
|
(3,297) |
(3,637) |
9.4 |
(1,249) |
(1,013) |
(1,035) |
(1,084) |
4.5 |
(4,782) |
Revenue, service revenue
Total revenue in our Germany operating segment decreased in the first nine months of 2025 by 1.5 % year-on-year to EUR 18.9 billion, mainly due to lower mobile terminal equipment revenues. By contrast, service revenues grew by 0.9 % year-on-year, due to growth in the mobile and fixed-network businesses, largely driven by broadband and TV business.
Revenue from Consumers declined by 2.8 % year-on-year due to lower mobile terminal equipment revenues. The fixed-network business continued to perform well, characterized by sustained broadband revenue growth driven by a number of positive factors, including customer appreciation for reliable networks and high bandwidths as well as our TV offerings. This development more than offset the decline in voice components. Mobile service revenues also trended positively, in line with customer development.
Revenue from Business Customers remained more or less at the same level as in the prior-year period. The fixed-network business remained stable, while the mobile business trended upwards.
Wholesale revenue remained stable year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025 at EUR 2.4 billion.
Adjusted EBITDA AL, EBITDA AL
Adjusted EBITDA AL increased by EUR 0.1 billion or 1.4 % year-on-year. The main reasons for this increase are high-value service revenue growth and enhanced cost efficiency, primarily as a result of the lower headcount and the ongoing implementation of efficiency enhancement and digitalization measures. Various one-time effects came into play. Our adjusted EBITDA AL margin amounted to 42.3 %.
At EUR 7.7 billion, EBITDA AL increased by 11.0 % against the prior-year period, due to the effects described under adjusted EBITDA AL and lower year-on-year expenses arising from special factors. The prior-year period had included special factors of EUR 0.9 billion, primarily in connection with the forgone contingent consideration receivable from IFM Global Infrastructure Fund, and socially responsible staff restructuring measures. Special factors in the first nine months of 2025 amounted to EUR 0.3 billion, and likewise mainly related to socially responsible staff restructuring measures.
Profit/loss from operations (EBIT)
Profit from operations amounted to EUR 4.8 billion, an increase of 16.7 % against the prior-year period. The positive EBITDA trend in particular contributed to this development. This was offset by an increase of 2.4 % in depreciation, amortization and impairment losses, mainly resulting from rising fiber build-out volumes.
Cash capex (before spectrum investment), cash capex
Cash capex (before spectrum investment) decreased by EUR 341 million or 9.4 % compared with the prior-year period, primarily due to the intra-year allocation of investments in the fiber build-out. The number of households passed by our fiber-optic network had increased to 11.8 million by September 30, 2025. In mobile communications, 98.8 % of German households can already use 5G.