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

 

 

The Annual Fiber Conference (Finnet Conference), Finland

Event: The Annual Fiber Conference (Finnet Conference)
Speaker: Niall Halpenny - Chair, FTTH Council Europe Open Access Committee
Date: 4th-5th November 2025
Organiser: Finnet Association and Finnish Regional Networks Association 
Location: Tampere, Finland


Open Access principles were crucial for maximizing the utilization of fibre infrastructure, fostering competition, and ensuring equitable service delivery across urban and regional networks. This annual conference was the most important gathering for the Finnish FTTH ecosystem to address these challenges.

This dedicated panel session brought together Finnish operators, technical, and regulatory experts to delve into the operational and policy aspects of the FTTH rollout. The discussion focused on maximizing the efficiency and reach of Finnish fiber networks, examining successful open access deployment strategies and the regulatory environment needed to support continued investment in regional areas.

Niall Halpenny, representing the FTTH Council Europe Open Access Committee, contributed European insights and best practices on leveraging shared infrastructure models to accelerate connectivity. Participants gained practical knowledge on the technical and commercial factors that enabled a thriving fiber market, ensuring that Finland remained a leader in connectivity and reached its national digital goals. All fiber stakeholders were encouraged to join this essential national and European discussion.

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