ARCEP launches consultation on FTTH in less densely-populated zones

French telecom regulator ARCEP has formally launched a public consultation on the deployment of very high-speed broadband services via fibre-to-the-home networks.

The consultation will focus on ARCEP’s plan to deliver FTTH services to the less densely-populated areas of France, covering about 80% of the country’s population. The regulator has called for the rollout to be based on the principle of “mutualisation” of networks at the level of 1,000 lines, with a minimum threshold of 300 lines, in order to reduce the cost of deployment while maintaining the principle of competition and freedom of choice. In very densely populated areas, the regulatory framework will allow operators to deploy their own dedicated networks end-to-end.