After receiving ministerial approval for the ARCEP decision on FTTH rollouts in the country's lower density areas, the regulatory framework governing fibre in France is now entirely set.Stakeholders now have all the elements in place to announce and carry out their investments in optical fibre.

Paris, 19 January 2011

Through an order published in the Official journal of 18 January 2011, the ministers responsible for the economy and for industry have approved ARCEP Decision no. 2010-1312, of 14 December 2010, setting the terms governing access to ultra-fast broadband optical fibre electronic communications lines in the whole of France, outside of high-density areas. This decision comes to complete the one concerning high-density areas, which was issued on 23 December 2009 and published in the Official Journal of 18 January 2010.

As a result, the regulatory framework for optical fibre deployments is now complete and in effect in the entire country, and provides stakeholders with the legal certainty they need to commit to sizeable investments.

The Authority will continue to work on implementing this regulatory framework in tandem with operators and local authorities, particularly in the area of co-investment schemes between public and private sector players.