Our key policy priorities

The FTTH Council Europe considers that fibre networks are fundamental to the digital transformation of European economies and that the objectives of the Digital Decade need to be reached in a timely fashion.

To this end, the FTTH Council Europe considers it essential to maintain a favourable regulatory framework for fibre investment in a competitive environment. The existing framework has delivered, and is delivering, good results in terms of fibre deployment and in our view, in Europe, concerns are mostly on the demand side of the fibre market.

Among our key policy priority is copper switch-off, which would give a clear signal to the sector and investors, have positive impact on FTTH roll-out and adoption, and have advantages in terms of energy efficiency and operational costs. This is why the FTTH Council Europe launched the Copper Switch-Off Tracker.

Browse below our key objectives that in our view should be at the core of the current 2024-2029 EU legislative and regulatory cycle.

Our positions as FTTH Council Europe

Reducing uncertainty on the demand side

Clear policy objectives, such as progressive copper switch-off, encourage investment in fibre networks. Learn how these measures boost productivity and support the green transition.

Maintaining a Competitive Environment

Effective competition drives innovation and network expansion. Explore our strategies to promote fair market practices and prevent monopolistic behaviour in fibre network development.

Facilitating Fibre Network Deployment

A favourable regulatory environment is critical for fibre deployment. From reducing barriers to infrastructure sharing to implementing cost-reduction measures, Europe needs to further develop a fibre-friendly ecosystem.

Supporting the Green Transition

Transitioning to fibre networks offers significant energy savings and environmental benefits. We advocate for integrating fibre networks into the EU taxonomy to unlock green financing opportunities.

Ensuring Spectrum Availability for In-Home Connectivity

In-home Wi-Fi is the backbone of digital usage. Proper allocation of the 6GHz spectrum is vital to ensure faster and more reliable connectivity for European households and businesses.

Digital Networks Act

We welcome the Digital Networks Act’s focus on investment and competition, supporting regulatory stability through the SMP process. We support a balanced copper switch-off protecting consumers, tailored access remedies reflecting national realities, and constructive engagement to accelerate FTTH deployment and strengthen sustainable competition.

Cybersecurity Act

The FTTH Council Europe supports stronger security and resilience in Europe’s telecom network and services market, understands that the proposed Cybersecurity Act is part of the broader strategy aimed at guaranteeing Europe’s strategic autonomy and security, and is willing to cooperate with European Institutions to achieve this objective.

Copper Switch-Off Tracker

This new study, carried out by Cullen International and set to become a vital evidence base for policymakers, regulators, operators and investors, provides a comprehensive analysis of the progress toward deactivating legacy copper networks in the EU27 + UK area, including policy and market implications of transitioning to fibre.

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FTTH Policy & Regulations essentials

The deployment of FTTH networks is a complex and multifaceted endeavour, and the framework governing their rollout is of utmost importance: this guide has the aim of providing companies, policymakers, investors, and other stakeholders with the policy & regulations fundamentals for the deployment of FTTH networks in Europe.

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FTTH Adoption Drivers and Hurdles in Europe

By carrying out a thorough analysis of FTTH market data and doing a deep dive into 8 selected countries, the FTTH Council Europe, in collaboration with Plum Consulting, has developed a series of recommendations of measures that both policymakers and industry executives will find useful when considering how to increase the FTTH adoption.

Panel discussion at DSA Global Summit 2024

Sep 23, 2024

External Communications | External Events |

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Event: DSA Global Summit
Speaker: Vincent Garnier - Director General
Date: 23 September, 2024
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Organiser: Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA)

The DSA Global Summit served as the premier global event bringing together leading regulators, spectrum authorities, industry experts and academics to discuss the opportunities and challenges with enabling spectrum sharing through the use of dynamic access technologies.

The 2024 Summit composed a regulator-only workshop on September 24 and public keynote addresses and panel sessions on September 23 - 24. The unique structure of the DSA Global Summit allowed Regulators and spectrum authorities to meet with other Regulators and spectrum authorities from across the globe to discuss spectrum management challenges while gave the space for in-depth discussion on both technical and policy issues. The second part of the event was dedicated to band-specific use cases and innovation on spectrum management.

Mr. Garnier participated in the panel Spectrum management with a user-centric approach - End Users. This session focused on the evolving landscape of spectrum management with a user-centric perspective. Some of the addressed key questions were:

How are users accessing the Internet? What does Internet traffic indicate? What is the relationship between indoor and outdoor traffic? How does it change for developed markets, islands, and LDD?
How can innovative spectrum management frameworks contribute to ensuring that users get meaningful connectivity?
What are the user expectations in terms of broadband access?
How can dynamic spectrum access enhance end-user experience by providing reliable, high-speed connectivity across various devices and locations?
What is the role of different technologies in addressing users' requirements?

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