Members of the FTTH Council Europe are active in every segment of the fibre to the home (FTTH) value chain. The Deployment and Operations (D&O) Committee is the place where technology experts come together to discuss, debate and educate the broader telecom ecosystem and help industry stakeholders understand how to deploy high quality full-fibre networks, addressing the large variety of challenges they face throughout Europe.

From design and planning, to optimal technology selection, roll out of operations, testing and maintenance, our key publication, the FTTH Handbook, brings together state-of-the-art information and recommendations to help every FTTH professional in the industry. Its 9th edition was unveiled on 15th September 2021 during the FTTH Virtual Conference 2021; it is already available for members of the FTTH Council Europe on a complementary basis and can be purchased by the general public here.

5G is fibre’s best friend! The D&O Committee has undertaken two valuable pieces of research to evaluate the potential benefits that are brought about through converged planning of FTTH and 5G backhaul networks.  We presented the results of these studies in a recent webinar, you can access the replay here.

More recently, the Committee has produced a white paper which details the reasons underpinning our position in favour of full-fibre compared to alternative broadband technologies. 

 

 

Panel 18 - The Journey from HFC to Full Fibre

The shift from HFC to full fibre is no longer a question of if, but how fast and how efficiently it can be done.

At FTTH Conference 2026, this panel brings together leading technology and network experts to explore the realities of transitioning legacy cable networks to full fibre infrastructure.

With insights from Suzanne Tracy (SIRO), Krzysztof Sidor (P.S.O.), Philip Cauwel (Wyre), Christian Schläpfer (Swiss Fiber Co), and Monika Nowak-Toporowicz (Virgin Media Ireland), the discussion will dive into migration strategies, operational challenges, and the investment decisions shaping this critical transformation.

From managing legacy assets and minimising disruption to unlocking the full potential of fibre, this session will examine what it takes to move from hybrid networks to future-proof connectivity


Speakers:

  • Christian Schläpfer - CEO at Swiss FibreCo AG
  • Krzysztof Sidor - CTO at Polski Światłowód Otwarty
  • Monika Nowak-Toporowicz - CTIO at Virgin Media Ireland
  • Philip Cauwel - Chief Technology Officer at Wyre
  • Moderated by Suzanne Tracy - Board Member of the FTTH Council Europe

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