Portugal, Spain and Swedenare ahead of the pack when it comes to phasing out legacy copper networks in Europe, a new study from the FTTH Council Europe has revealed.
Launched at the FTTH Council Europe’s Policy Dialogue event, the Copper Switch-Off Trackerhas been created in co-operation with independent regulatory intelligence provider Cullen International to show the progress 27 EU member states (and the United Kingdom) are making toward adopting full-fibre broadband infrastructure.
While the report praises operators in Portugal, Spain and Sweden who have mostly discontinued their copper networks, the report also reveals that other member states, including Germany, Greece and Czech Republic, still rely heavily on old copper infrastructure.
“We believe that fibre networks are fundamental to the Digital Transformation of Europe,” said FTTH Council Europe President, Roshene McCool. “Phasing out copper networks for fibre infrastructure will lower energy consumption and reduce overall operating costs, therefore making a great contribution to the achievement of the EU’s Digital Decade objectives.”
The tracker and report will become a vital evidence base for policymakers, regulators, operators and investors as they grapple with the policy and market implications of transitioning from copper to fibre. It also highlights that in only 12 countries do the incumbent operators have a plan for complete copper switch-off. In eight of these 12 countries the plans are publicly available, while in others (e.g. Portugal) the plan is confidential.
“As European institutions shape their policy agenda for the 2024-2029 cycle, this new and comprehensive analysis will support the Digital Transformation of Europe’s economy and aid the development of an efficient and sustainable high-performance connectivity ecosystem,” said Vincent Garnier, Director General at the FTTH Council Europe.
Following a presentation from the FTTH Council Europe on the Copper Switch-Off findings, a panel discussion from Kamila Kloc (European Commission), Konstantenos Masselos (Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission), Timm Degenhardt (Omers Infrastructure), Francesco Nonno (Open Fiber Spa), and Pascal Rogard (Orange Group) examined the broader political, economic, and technical implications of the Copper Switch-Off, especially within the context of recent political initiatives in Europe aimed at fostering sustainable infrastructure.
By providing regular updates, the Copper Switch-Off tracker will offer an up-to-date snapshot of the in-roads made by countries in their copper-to-fibre transition. The FTTH Council Europe is looking forward to monitoring this progression in aid of a future competitive European fibre market.
