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.

Learn more

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.

Deployment & Operations Committee Update: Progress and Outlook

Jul 3, 2025

Committee News | Deployment & Operations Committee |

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At the FTTH Council Europe’s 2025 Spring General Assembly, the Deployment & Operations Committee Chair shared key milestones from the past year and outlined strategic priorities for the months ahead.

2024 Highlights

The Committee continued its strong focus on knowledge development, completing several key deliverables. A notable achievement was the finalisation of the FTTH Handbook Passive Components review, providing an updated and robust reference for the industry.

Another milestone was the release of the whitepaper “A Case for End-to-End Fixed Access Solution Disaggregation”, accompanied by a well-received workshop during the FTTH Conference in Amsterdam. This event featured real-world use cases from Vodafone and Turk Telekom, offering valuable insights into practical implementation scenarios for network disaggregation.

In addition, two new workgroups were launched to deepen exploration into emerging areas:

Network Resilience
Passive Optical LAN

These groups are now active and shaping new lines of inquiry and output for the community.

2025 Work Plan

Looking ahead, the D&O Committee has already kicked off several initiatives for 2025. The focus remains on whitepaper production and initiative planning, with three new whitepaper topics currently being resourced and developed:

Fiber Deep – Passive Optical LAN Applications
Network Resilience and Maintenance
Efficient Network Operation and Maintenance Planning

These papers aim to provide actionable insights and technical guidance to support future-proof, high-performance networks across the FTTH ecosystem.

In parallel, the Committee is launching new initiatives to address deployment and operational challenges. Key areas under investigation include:

Strategies to overcome rollout challenges in ultra-rural areas (targeting the final 10% of coverage)
Planning for HFC to fibre transition, ensuring smooth and efficient technology evolution

These forward-looking actions reaffirm the Committee’s commitment to enabling resilient, scalable, and inclusive fibre networks across Europe.

Members interested in contributing to these projects or learning more about ongoing activities are encouraged to engage with the relevant workgroups or reach out to the D&O leadership team.

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