FEATURE: FTTH IN EUROPE F


ibre deployment is progressing globally at a rapid speed. In Europe, according to the FTTH Council Europe’s most recent Market Panorama figures, it is anticipated


that some 302 million homes will be passed with FTTH/B by 2026 for EU39 countries, of which the EU27+UK members will account for 197 million. Tis represents a 67 per cent increase compared to 2021 numbers, and the figures demonstrated that Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Italy are set to experience the highest growth. In terms of subscriber numbers, the report


predicts they will reach 135 million in 2026 for EU27+UK from 60 million in 2021, and 197 million for EU39 (from 99 million) while the take-up rate would continue to increase to 68.7 per cent and 65.3 per cent respectively (from 51.1 per cent and 48.5 per cent in 2021). Vincent Garnier, director general at the FTTH


Council Europe, explained there are several factors playing a role in the deployment of networks. Te pandemic, of course, led to more data traffic and more demand, which resulted in private investors giving a boost to their deployment projects in favour of FTTH/B to support the ongoing traffic increase.


Target practise But there has also been a number of national infrastructure and digitalisation programmes, with new European digital targets for 2025 and 2030 that will help the acceleration of full-fibre connectivity across all European countries. Garnier said: ‘Tis trend will be intensified by new usage paterns, which are encouraging operators to migrate to FTTH solutions, capable of delivering new services [more sustainably].’ Malcolm Corbet, CEO at the Independent


Networks Cooperative Association (INCA), agrees on the drivers for increased demand, as flexible working becomes more of a way of life. ‘Te UK (along with Germany and Italy),’ he said, ‘is expected to see a dramatic increase in both the number of homes passed and the subscription take-up rate in the next few years,’ he said. ‘Tanks in no small part due to the work of the independent broadband sector, the UK is now deploying fibre at the highest rate in Europe and is making significant progress toward the development of “Gigabit Britain.”’ For Paolo Novellini, principal engineer at


Xilinx, the wholesale-only model also had its role to play. He said: ‘Prior to 2015, the adoption of FTTH was hampered by the cost of establishing passive networks. Moreover, investors were constrained by unknowns in deployment – especially the scale of investments and uncertainty in the ROI. Te solution came through regulators and policymakers, in the form of a wholesale-only business model, where public and private investors can invest in new businesses that own the passive network and sell exclusively to operators at a regulated price. Nordic countries were the earliest instances where municipalities invested in their own network. Stokab was a pioneer in Sweden and was followed by networks in Italy (Open Fiber), together with Onivia in Spain, Siro in Ireland, and CityFibre in the UK. Tis new wholesale- only model represents a significant forward


www.fibre-systems.com @fibresystemsmag


THE UK IS NOW DEPLOYING FIBRE AT THE HIGHEST RATE IN EUROPE AND IS MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF GIGABIT BRITAIN


step in last-mile transmission, as it introduces competition in a sector where the incumbent model dominated for many decades.’ Indeed, INCA published its own research last


year to help quantify the role of independent providers, which showed that more than 2.5 million homes and businesses in the UK alone could now connect to an independent fibre broadband network. Tis represented more than 110 per cent year-on-year growth. Corbet said: ‘By 2025, more than six million homes and businesses will be using independent networks in the UK. Te sector is now more than four times larger than it was a decade ago and continues to atract significant sums of private investment. £15bn will be invested in the delivery of new full-fibre connectivity by independent providers before the end of 2025.’


Make-or-break In addition, Garnier told Fibre Systems that the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, referred to digital in her State of the Union speech as the ‘make-or-break’ issue, puting fibre and 5G at the core of Europe’s strategy. He said: ‘In its proposal, “Path to the


Digital Decade”, which spells out targets for 2030, the European Commission’s proposed level of ambition is that all European households are covered by a Gigabit network, with all populated areas covered by 5G.’ Te ‘Digital Decade’ plan’s objective is to


provide all households with Gigabit connectivity by 2030, part of which includes copper switch off – something also highlighted by the Green Deal (2050), which plans to subsidise fibre deployment in areas where the investment would match the return, and to regulate the wholesale-only business model. Te original principles for the plan were announced in March last year, and are currently in discussion in the European Parliament, with a view to endorsing the plan by summer 2022. As part of its work to help bridge the digital


divide, the commission has also proposed to the European Parliament and Council to sign a declaration of rights and principles that will guide the digital transformation in the EU. Te draſt declaration is designed to provide a clear reference point about the kind of digital transformation Europe promotes and defends. It will also act as a guide for policymakers and


companies when dealing with new technologies, and as such, the rights and freedoms in the EU’s legal framework, and the European values expressed by the principles, should be ‘respected online as they are offline’. Once jointly endorsed, the declaration will define the approach to the digital transformation, which the EU will promote throughout the world. Executive vice-president for a Europe fit for


the digital age, Margrethe Vestager, said: ‘We want safe technologies that work for people, and that respect our rights and values. We want everyone to be empowered to take an active part in our increasingly digitised societies. Tis declaration gives a clear reference point to the rights and principles for the online world.’ Commissioner for the internal market Tierry


Breton, added: ‘We want Europeans to know: living, studying, working, doing business in Europe, you can count on top-class connectivity, seamless access to public services, a safe and fair


FTTH/B subscribers forecasts (million) comparison EU27+UK / EU38+UK countries Issue 35 n Spring 2022 n FiBRE SYSTEMS 13


Idate for FTTH Council Europe


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