30 May 2000
Technical and commercial unbundling trials could be launched on 3 July upon completion of the work prepared by the "Unbundling—access to the bare copper pair" working group chaired by Alain Bravo (Alcatel).
The trials will test the technical and pricing conditions for access to the bare copper pair in preparation for commercial implementation in late 2000.
- Two experimental phases
The "experimentation" sub group has made significant progress in defining the conditions for the operational implementation of two experimental phases, which will be finalised at the meeting of the plenary working group chaired by Alain Bravo, on 21 June.
The phases can be described as follows:
- The first phase will begin on 3 July 2000 on seven sites both in Paris and elsewhere: 27 operators (cf. list in annex) have already applied to test xDSL technologies (ADSL, ADSL lite, HDSL, SDSL and VDSL at various speeds) during the first phase. Trials have been limited to 60 copper pairs per site and per operator.
- The second phase will start following a review of the first phase during the second half of September 2000. Candidates will be able to run trials on two sites in Paris and elsewhere in France. The list of this sites has not yet been finalised and proposals can be made by concerned parties.
These two experimental phases should also make it possible to test on site the work done by the working sub groups, and in particular:
- the order/delivery processes, co-location and after-sales service
- pre-qualification and qualification processes for the copper pairs and the implementation of frequency ranges
- Operators concerned
The trials—which will offer high-speed services to pilot subscribers—are open to operators already holding a public network operator license for the zone covered (a so-called L. 33-1 license). They are also open to candidates not having an authorisation. These operators can apply for an experimental network authorisation for the duration of the experimental phase. ART will examine requests on behalf of the Minister of Telecommunications. Operators will be granted an experimental license for the duration of the experimental phase on the zones concerned.
- Timetable
In accordance with the trial schedule, applications for experimental network authorisations must be received by ART:
- by 30 May 2000 for the first phase
- by 31 July 2000 for the second phase
- The "unbundling" working group
The "unbundling" working group was created on 10 February by Jean-Michel Hubert, Chairman of Autorité de régulation des télécommunications (ART). Chaired by Alain Bravo, its members include over forty operators—including France Telecom—and industry representatives.
The working group has already met three times in plenary meetings and over thirty meetings have been held by the four technical sub groups ("experimentation", "operational procedures", "technical specifications", "pricing method") in the past three months.
ANNEX
Experimental sites:
- Paris Turbigo
- Paris Massena
- Puteaux
- Massy
- Lille Boitelle
- Lyon Parmentier
- Marseille Menpenti
Candidate operators:
- 9 Télécom Réseau
- Belgacom
- Cable & Wireless
- Cegetel
- Colt
- Completel
- Covad
- Easynet
- First Mark
- First Télécom
- GTS Omnicom
- High Way One
- ISDNET
- Kaptech
- Kast Télécom
- Kertel
- KPNQwest
- Ldcom
- Linx Télécom
- MCI
- MTLcom
- Objectif BL
- Siris
- Skyline
- Speedcom
- Télé 2
- Télécom Développement