Almost two years ago I posted some numbers about how many people in our student housing actually use gigabit-capable devices. Today I checked again – and honestly, it’s not the big breakthrough yet:
| Location | Dec 2023 | Sep 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geislingen | 25 % | 35 % | +10 |
| Albstadt | 53 % | 48 % | −5 |
| Sigmaringen | 33 % | 26 % | −7 |
Geislingen improved a lot, Albstadt dropped a little but is still on top, and Sigmaringen is now down to only 26 %. Hard to say if this is a real trend – the measurement happened during semester break, so the sample is smaller. But still, the direction is interesting.
Router returns: a sad story
We are also collecting routers that students left behind when moving out. The result? Not great: less than 5 % of these devices can even do 5 GHz Wi-Fi – and so they can’t handle gigabit properly.
Of course, if someone owns a good router, they don’t leave it behind. But still, it’s shocking how many people were using outdated hardware: old Fast Ethernet ports, no 5 GHz, weak Wi-Fi chips. No wonder the speeds suffer.
Conclusion
For us that means: more awareness needed! Either many students don’t know what their connection could really do – or maybe they just don’t need much internet at all. Apart from one building in Tübingen (we’re still waiting for the key), we’ve already put up our own posters in all 102 student housing buildings. Let’s see if that helps.
This post is also available in German de_DE