Deutsche Telekom's chief executive Timotheus Hoettges used the company's fourth-quarter results briefing to register sharp concerns about the European Union's chosen path for revising telecom rules, arguing for a lighter regulatory touch to support industry investment.
Speaking at a press conference, Hoettges said the company is encountering mounting administrative burdens.
he said, characterizing EU reform efforts as overly prescriptive."We’re seeing more and more red tape, more requirements,"
In January the European Commission presented a broad rewrite of sector rules under the Digital Networks Act. The proposal would allow operators to hold radio spectrum for an unlimited period, a change the Commission said would boost predictability and help spur investment.
However, the proposed rules did not match the demands from European operators for a network fee on large U.S. streaming and internet platforms. Rather than mandating fees for companies such as Google, Netflix and Meta, the Commission opted for a voluntary cooperation mechanism.
Hoettges reiterated that Deutsche Telekom remains on course to meet its 2027 targets. He described the company’s progress as aligned with its medium-term objectives.
Executives from the company provided specific growth targets for its enterprise technology arm. The T-Systems chief executive said the division aims to expand T Cloud public revenue by 20% to exceed EUR 200 million in 2026. At the same time, AI-related revenue is also expected to reach EUR 200 million.
On future capital allocation, Hoettges issued a clear caveat: without a political framework for gigafactories, Deutsche Telekom will refrain from investing in those projects. He further noted that Brussels had made large commitments on funding for EU data centres, but the company has seen little follow-up since those promises.
During the call, Hoettges said the company is exploring whether to fold its various data centre activities into a single unit, but emphasized no decision has been taken. He also stressed that Deutsche Telekom will take all possible steps to avoid surrendering any spectrum.
The comments underscore a tension between regulatory intentions and operators' calls for investment-friendly rules. Hoettges combined a public critique of regulatory direction with confirmation that the business remains on track against stated targets and with concrete growth goals in cloud and AI revenue for the T-Systems division.