INDUSTRY News Europe’s full fibre frontrunners revealed by new Copper Switch- Off Tracker Copper switch-off tracker
Country
closure started - - switch-off started switch-off started switch-off started switch-off started - - switch-off started - - switch-off started - - - - switch-off started - plan published - closure started switch-off started switch-off started switch-off started closure started Planning phase - -
Plan publicly available
Target date
Fraction of incumbent lines no longer based on copper*
- 2026 - - 2030 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2030 - 2030 - - - - - 2025 2025
Portugal Sweden Spain
97%
95%
93%
Bulgaria Lithuania Luxembourg France Latvia Denmark Estonia Netherlands
88%
75%
73%
67% 67%
65% 64%
59%
Ireland Poland Malta Croatia Belgium Italy Germany Czech Republic
54%
51%
48%
20%
17%
10%
5% 5%
Greece Austria Cyprus Finland
4%
information not available information not available information not available information not available information not available information not available information not available information not available
Hungary Romania Slovakia Slovenia United Kingdom
Key
-
* Fraction of retail and wholesale services on the historical incumbent operator’s network no longer based on legacy copper.
no copper switch-off plan publicly available
plan published closure started switch-off started switch-off completed
the incumbent operator has published a copper switch-off plan no new orders accepted on copper in some areas, excludes pilot projects copper network deactivated in some area, excludes pilot projects
copper network deactivated in all areas
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.
will lower energy consumption and reduce overall operating costs, therefore making a great contribution to the achievement of the EU’s Digital Decade objectives”, she continued. 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 8 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.
Portugal, Spain and Sweden are 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 today. Launched at the FTTH Council Europe’s Policy Dialogue event, the Copper Switch-Off Tracker has been created in cooperation 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
www.ftthcouncil.eu
MARCH 2025 Volume 47 No.1
27
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