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 13 - Copper Switch Off & FTTH adoption

Across Europe, the transition from legacy copper networks to full fibre is entering a decisive phase. As operators accelerate copper switch-off plans, the focus is shifting to how regulation, market dynamics, and consumer adoption can enable a smooth and effective migration to FTTH.

This panel brings together experts from Cullen International, AGCOM, Telefónica, Openreach, and Deutsche Glasfaser to discuss the regulatory frameworks, operational strategies, and policy tools required to successfully retire copper infrastructure.

Panellists will explore how coordinated switch-off timelines, consumer migration strategies, and supportive regulation can accelerate FTTH adoption while maintaining service continuity. The discussion will also examine lessons from early switch-off initiatives and the role of industry collaboration in ensuring that the transition to fibre delivers long-term benefits for both operators and users.

A strategic conversation on turning copper switch-off into a catalyst for widespread FTTH adoption across Europe.


Speakers:

  • Christof Sommerberg - SVP Public Affairs |atDeutsche Glasfaser Holding GmbH
  • James Lilley - Director, All IP at Openreach
  • Juan Manuel Caro Bernat - Director JVs & Fibre Center of Excellence at Telefonica
  • Marco Benacchio - Head of the office Regulation of markets and networks at AGCOM
  • Moderated by Alessandro Mauro, Senior Analyst at Cullen International

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