Deutsche Telekom posted commentary criticizing Meta over how it is routing data traffic into Telekom’s network.
Previously, Meta paid fees to directly route traffic into Deutsche Telekom’s infrastructure. However, during the pandemic, Meta stopped making these payments, prompting Deutsche Telekom to sue. The Cologne Regional Court ruled in Telekom’s favor, but Meta has since rerouted its traffic via a third-party transit provider, circumventing the direct route and the associated fees.
Telekom noted that it has taken measures to ensure a stable data flow by expanding its transit provider’s capacity to handle Meta’s vast traffic, which amounts to 3.5 Tbps.
While Telekom guarantees that it has done its part to avoid congestion, it claims that the responsibility for seamless traffic now lies with Meta. The dispute highlights the need for Europe-wide regulations to settle such conflicts, with calls for a binding dispute resolution mechanism from the European Commission.
Highlights of Telekom’s statement
• Meta used to pay for direct connections to Deutsche Telekom’s network but stopped during the pandemic.
• Deutsche Telekom sued and won, but Meta rerouted its data traffic via a transit provider.
• Telekom expanded its capacity to manage Meta’s 3.5 Tbps data flow.
• Meta has yet to negotiate a new direct connection, prompting calls for EU intervention.
• Deutsche Telekom urges fair payments for data transport services, accusing Meta of abusing its power.
