EIB lends €75 million to expand Austrian fibre networks and connect rural communities

The loan is the first tranche of planned EIB financing for the project and forms part of a €225 million financing package involving the EIB and commercial banks.

Households and businesses in parts of Austria with limited access to high-speed internet are set to benefit from a €75 million European Investment Bank (EIB) loan to fibre infrastructure provider öGIG. The financing will support network expansion across six states, bringing better connections to communities where digital infrastructure needs improvement.

The rollout covers Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Styria, Upper Austria and Vorarlberg. The loan is the first tranche of planned EIB financing for the project and forms part of a €225 million financing package involving the EIB and commercial banks.

Better connections for work, learning and business

Reliable internet access shapes what people can do from their homes, schools and workplaces. Modern fibre networks support remote working, digital education and cloud services, giving rural communities infrastructure that is increasingly important to daily life and local economic activity. The expansion will provide a foundation for emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, and help businesses remain competitive as more services and operations move online.

EIB Vice-President Karl Nehammer said rural communities need dependable, high-capacity connections as much as cities do. He linked the investment to closing the digital divide, strengthening regional economies and giving households and businesses greater access to the opportunities of digitalisation.

For smaller communities, better connectivity can strengthen their appeal as places to live and run a business, supporting regional development beyond the country's major urban centres.

One fibre network with a choice of providers

öGIG operates an open-access network, allowing different internet service providers to use the same fibre infrastructure. Households and businesses covered by the network can choose between the providers and services available through it. That model makes the infrastructure accessible to multiple service providers, giving customers options when selecting their internet connection.

Founded in 2019, öGIG is part of the Allianz Group. Chief Executive Officer Alfred Pufitsch described the EIB financing as a milestone for the company and an endorsement of its strategy to continue expanding Austria's communications networks. He said öGIG had become one of the driving forces behind the country's fibre rollout since its establishment.

European funding supports the push towards gigabit access

The EIB loan is backed by the European Union's InvestEU programme and supports European policies on rural development and digital connectivity. The project contributes to the EU's Digital Decade and Austria's Broadband Strategy 2030, supporting ambitions that include gigabit connectivity for all European households by 2030.

It reinforces the EIB's wider investment in digital infrastructure and technological innovation, connecting those priorities with network improvements across the six Austrian states. For communities with limited high-speed coverage, the practical value will come from access to reliable connections and a choice of services, giving residents and local companies more scope to work, learn and do business online.