Fiber operators can lay lines on private land in Carinthia

Fiber-optic construction is accelerating in Carinthia, with lines currently being installed in 40 municipalities, ORF reported. In some cases, network operators may also lay cables on private properties, not only on public land such as roadsides.

Property owners affected by a project must be informed in advance and receive a planning sketch. The two sides then have four weeks to reach an agreement. Network operators need so-called rights of way on the property before they can install the fiber-optic lines, and the owner can grant these rights by signing an agreement.

The operator does not enter the land registry. Lines may not be installed everywhere, however: the property must remain usable in accordance with its designated land use, according to RTR, Austria’s telecommunications regulator.

Owners who seek to prevent excavation work on principle are likely to lose out, RTR said, citing the Telecommunications Act and the priority given to network expansion.

If a fiber-optic line reduces the value of a property, the owner receives a one-time payment. The network operator is also liable for damage caused by construction and operation, RTR said.

If the parties fail to agree within four weeks, RTR can conduct a conciliation procedure. The regulator said most disputes could be resolved quickly, often because of communication misunderstandings. Only in a few cases would a decision ordering or rejecting the construction have to be enforced by an official ruling.