ARCEP strengthens resource pooling to help facilitate FttH network rollouts

Paris, 27 January 2014

While fibre to the home (FttH) network rollouts are proceeding at a steady pace, with the number of eligible lines having now reached three million, ARCEP is working to help sustain this momentum by completing the regulatory framework governing these networks. ARCEP has adopted a decision and a recommendation that strengthen FttH network sharing by reducing the number of very high density areas, where less sharing is occurring, and by defining appropriate solutions for buildings in these areas with fewer than 12 residential or business premises.

Adjusting the boundaries of very high density areas

Decision No. 2009-1106 of 22 December 2009 defines very high density areas as densely populated municipalities where infrastructure-based competition is possible, and stipulates that the list of municipalities that make up these areas could be adjusted should the need arise.

It was in relation to this proviso that, in its Decision No. 2013-1475 of 10 December 2013 , ARCEP amends the list of very high density municipalities to take into practical consideration the rollouts that operators have performed since 2009, and the technical and financial conditions under which operators are performing their rollouts. This decision, which was submitted to a public consultation that ran from 21 October to 18 November 2013, was approved by the Minister responsible for electronic communications, and published in the Journal officiel de la République française on 26 January 2014.

The Decision removes 43 municipalities (**), corresponding to 547,000 households, from the list of those initially designated as being part of high density areas. By strengthening resource pooling, this amendment will help facilitate rollouts in the areas concerned, and to provide residential and business customers with a wider selection of services to choose from. The decision also plans on adding the city of Poitiers to the list of very high density areas, in light of the nature and scale of deployments that have already been performed there.

The number very high density areas has thus decreased from 148 municipalities (representing around 6 million households) to 106 municipalities (or around 5.5 million households), which represent fewer than 17% of all households in France.

The affected local authorities and operators can now sign agreements locally for programming and monitoring FttH rollouts, based on the model drafted as part of France's superfast broadband plan. This in turn will allow them to secure investment plans and provide all public and private sector players with a clear view on upcoming deployments.

Definition of technical solutions for small buildings in high density areas

Following the public consultation that was held from 15 November to 13 December 2013, ARCEP is publishing a recommendation on the access conditions to FttH lines for small buildings of fewer than 12 residential or business premises in very high density areas, and located outside the low-density pockets - defined in the ARCEP recommendation of 14 June 2011 . The new recommendation, which serves to complete the one issued in 2011, is meant to enable coverage for all types of building, regardless of their size or location.

The following see table recaps the FttH architecture deployed in the different areas defined by the framework.

High-density areas

Lower density areas

Outside low-density pockets

Inside low-density pockets

For buildings with at least 12 residential or business units or accessible through a visitable sewer network: multi-fibre concentration point at the building entry point

3.2 million premises