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.

European FTTH/B Market Panorama 2025

Mar 19, 2025

Reports & Studies | Market Intelligence Committee | FTTH Conference 2025

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On the occasion of the FTTH Conference 2025, the Market Intelligence Committee of the FTTH Council Europe release the 2025 edition of the FTTH/B Market Panorama, presenting the latest insights in terms of FTTH/B coverage and adoption in Europe as of September 2024.

The total number of homes passed with Fibre to the Home (FTTH) and Fibre to the Building (FTTB) in the EU39¹ reached 269 million homes in September 2024, compared to nearly 244 million in September 2023.

The main movers in terms of homes passed in absolute numbers are the United Kingdom (+4,2 M), Germany (+3,8 M), and Italy (+3,1 M).

The top 5 of the annual growth rates in terms of homes passed is headed by Serbia (+26,5%), Greece (+26%), Finland (+26%), Germany (+25%), United Kingdom (+25%). FTTH/B coverage rate in EU39 now amounts to 74,6% (up by 5 percentage points vs 2023) and coverage rate in the EU27+UK now reaching 69% (vs 64,5% from 2023). These data re-confirm the continuous upward trend observed for several years in a row now.

The number of FTTH and FTTB subscribers in the EU39 region reached 143 million. The 5 fastest growing markets in terms of new subscribers were France (+3,1 M), United Kingdom (+2,5 M), Italy (+1,2 M), Turkey (+1,5M), and Spain (+1,1 M). All of the top 5 states have seen subscriber growth exceeding 1 million.

By September 2024, the EU39 FTTH/B take-up rate² raised to 53% (up by 3,4 percentage point from the previous year). In the EU27+UK area the take-up raised to 54,5% (up by 1,8 percentage points compared to 2023). A clear indication that, despite the progress being made, there is still a huge gap between fibre coverage and adoption.

The report observes that more needs to be done in terms of subscriptions to reach the 2030 Digital Decade objectives of the European Commission, as only 1 in 4 countries exceeds the 50% penetration rate.

The Copper Switch-Off is a key driver to support the expansion of FTTH network and to accelerate the subscription growth.

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