Paris, 29 October 2015
In an area with access to an optical fibre network, the optical access node (OAN) – also referred to a point of presence (PoP) – is the starting point for all customer access lines. It is the equivalent of the copper ADSL network’s central office.
On 28 and 29 October, Sébastien Soriano, the Chairman of France’s Electronic communications and postal regulatory authority, ARCEP, travelled to Brittany as part of the authority’s ongoing monitoring of trials being conducted on hosting optical access nodes in the central office, which began in March 2015.
Accompanied by Hervé Le Norcy, the Director General of Mégalis Bretagne, and Didier Dillard, Orange Vice-president for Regulatory affairs in France, on 28 October Mr Soriano visited the central office in Pleine-Fougères (Ille-et-Vilaine department) where trials are being conducted as part of a working group and which could, as a result, host the optical access node for the region in which the Mégalis Bretagne joint association is deploying optical fibre as part of the Bretagne Très Haut Débit (Ultra-Fast Brittany) project.
This visit allowed the ARCEP Chairman to assess the central office’s configuration, and the methods used to host optical equipment on the premises.
Trials on hosting optical access nodes in central offices
Hosting OAN in Orange central offices is a solution which, in certain areas, will help accelerate fibre rollouts by providing premises for the optical access nodes, and by simplifying the process of connecting end users for internet service providers (ISP), once the region is covered.
The work done by ARCEP subsequent to these trials, in tandem with operators and local authority representatives, must then enable Orange to define a national hosting solution for OAN in its central offices, and particularly the technical and commercial terms and conditions of such a product.
Trials conducted as part of the Bretagne Très Haut Débit project
Local authorities in Brittany have deployed their own networks outside of metropolitan areas that are covered by private sector operators’ ultra-fast access networks, under the auspices of the Bretagne Très Haut Débit project whose management has been contracted to the Mégalis Bretagne joint association. This public initiative concerns roughly 90% of Brittany and 60% of its population.
During the first phase of the project (2014-2018), no fewer than 215,000 customer premises will be made eligible for fibre access, including 60,000 by 2016 in four mid-size cities – Auray, Carhaix, Lamballe and Redon – and some 30 more sparsely populated areas, such as Pleine-Fougères.
As part of these rollouts, the trials for hosting OAN in Orange central offices will be conducted in six locations that are part of this first phase:
· Auray, Lamballe and Redon, for rollouts in these three mid-size cities;
· Pleine-Fougères, for rollouts in this more sparsely populated area;
· Fougères and Guingamp (located in areas covered by private initiative), for deployments in Beaucé, on the one hand, and in Grâces and Coadout on the other.
Dialogue with Brittany’s elected officials over ultra-fast access and usage
The ARCEP Chairman’s visit also provided an opportunity on 29 October to meet with local elected officials in Brittany who are involved in the Bretagne Très Haut Débit project. And to discuss the following topics:
· the core issues surrounding fixed and mobile ultra-fast access, such as ensuring complete optical fibre rollouts, pricing public initiative networks and 4G operators’ rollout obligations;
· topics tied to the development and use of digital services being delivered by the Mégalis Bretagne joint association and its members, and which are also core areas of concern for ARCEP: net neutrality, the Internet of Things (IoT), Over The Top (OTT) services, etc.
About Mégalis Bretagne:
The Mégalis Bretagne joint association for regional cooperation is comprised of 106 local authorities from Brittany: the Brittany region, the four departments, 11 metropolitan areas and agglomeration communities, and 90 municipality federations (communautés de communes). It is responsible for running and managing the Bretagne Très Haut Débit project whose main goal is to deploy optical fibre in those locations not covered by private sector initiative. It is also in charge of promoting and developing the use of electronic communications networks and e-government services.
Media relations contacts:
· ARCEP: Jean-François Hernandez - Tel: 01-40-47-70-33 - hernandez@arcep.fr
· Mégalis Bretagne: Sandrine CHABOT – Tel: 02 99 65 05 47 / 06 74 34 58 43 - s.chabot@agence-release.com
Communiqué de presse