In December 2019, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal with the ambition of making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, boosting the economy, improving people's health and quality of life, caring for nature, and leaving no one behind.

Digitalisation will be at the core of this ambitious program and fibre is key to align the digital and sustainability agendas. As the most sustainable telecommunication infrastructure technology, full-fibre is a prerequisite to achieving the European Green Deal and making the European Union’s economy more sustainable.

The need to work collectively towards a more sustainable society has become a strategic objective of policy makers and the vast majority of private organisations alike. With this context in mind, the sustainability Working Group of the FTTH Council Europe has been created with two key objectives:

  • Promote full fibre as the most sustainable access network technology and enabler of multiple applications which can contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of our activities. Remote working and learning being the most obvious examples.
  • Support all stakeholders of the Fibre to the Home value chain in their efforts to make their respective activities more carbon neutral.

Insights from the Committee

 

 

OECD Workshop on the Shutdown of Legacy Communication Networks

Event: OECD WPCSI 71st Session - Legacy Network Shutdown Workshop
Speaker:
Francesco Nonno - President FTTH Council Europe
Date: 4-5 November 2025
Location: OECD Headquarters, Paris, France
Organiser: OECD - Working Party on Connectivity Services and Infrastructures (WPCSI)


As OECD countries continued the shift toward next-generation digital infrastructure, the shutdown of legacy communication networks-including 2G/3G mobile networks and copper-based fixed networks—presented both technical and policy challenges.

This dedicated 60-minute panel workshop, took place during the 71st session of the OECD Working Party on Connectivity Services and Infrastructures (WPCSI), convening over 100 representatives from ministries, regulatory authorities, industry, civil society, and the technical community. The discussion aimed to assess progress, highlight operational and regulatory hurdles, and reflect on the broader economic and social impacts of transitioning away from legacy infrastructure.

The FTTH Council Europe had been invited to contribute expert insights on the copper switch-off and the move toward fibre-based connectivity. While in-person attendance was encouraged, remote participation or delegation to a colleague could also be considered to ensure the Council's perspective was represented.

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