The announcement by Orange of the dismantling of the copper network has been emulated by the competition. Finally, the other operators fear that the latter will take advantage of its full powers to hasten the death of the ADLS, even before all the regions of France are properly covered by fiber. Meanwhile, Arcep is keeping watch.
After years of rumour, Orange made it official last February: the copper ADSL network will be definitively buried by 2030. A project that is far from being an easy task, since several thousand kilometers of cables are t is now a question of dismantling, without counting on the implementation of alternative offers for the populations concerned.
Also, all the other operators now fear that the thing will be handled in a hurry. Orange, in fact, is already showing signs of impatience: while the commercial end of copper offers is scheduled for January 1 for areas covered by fiber, in accordance with the State’s Very High Speed Plan, the firm has d We have already requested authorization to advance this date in order to move the project forward more quickly.
On the same subject – Copper network, ADSL: Orange explains how everything will be dismantled by 2030
Orange wants to hasten the death of the copper network, the competition is worried
In addition, the incumbent operator does not waste a second: the first tests of transition to fiber offers have already begun with the population. Faced with this haste, SFR recalls that “during the 2020-2025 transition period, in particular, far too many uncertainties remain to justify a possible reduction in notice periods and closures (commercial closure zones and technical closure)”.
According to Bouygues Telecom, the progress of the very high speed plan “puts the entire closure plan at risk”. Orange’s main competitor notes that it is very risky to give Orange the right to completely close its copper network even before a region is completely covered by fibre. “This questioning is particularly worrying because it reinforces the risk of digital downgrading”, continue the business.
Meanwhile, Iliad searches for solutions. The parent company of SFR, in fact, has raised the possibility of setting up a universal broadband service with a minimum of 10 Mbits per household, while waiting for the situation to stabilize. But that doesn’t solve the main problem. Bouygues Telecom, SFR, Free, all agree that Orange should absolutely manage this daunting project alone.
“In practice, this supposedly shared governance is not one: Orange decides, then possibly consults, and ultimately Orange remains the sole decision maker”declares Iliad to Arcep, while Bouygues Telecom calls for “put in place real industrial management of this national project”. As for SFR, it considers it necessary to impose a “total transparency and necessary support from Orange on the closing procedures”.
Fears that only came on deaf ears. In response, Arcep declares in a press release that the operators’ proposals are admissible and judging “It is essential that Orange implement governance (national and local) and project management adapted to the challenges and difficulties of such a project”. For its part, Orange reacted by promising to set up a dialogue between the various telecom players in the years to come.
As a reminder, Orange leaves itself another five years after the total closure of the network to finalize the complete technical closure. This will take place gradually according to the list of regions eligible for alternative offers.
