The regulator looks to speed up copper switch-off, and to impose symmetrical QoS requirements for fibre.
Regulating for the next three years: The French regulator Arcep completed the last review of the wholesale fixed access market in December 2017. In line with the three-year cycle of market reviews, it is now working on reviewing the regulatory framework for the period 2021–2023. On 7 July 2020, Arcep submitted the draft review to public consultation, running until 14 September 2020. The review is made up of four strands of ‘asymmetric’ regulation, and of two documents related to the ‘symmetrical’ rules which have been in place since 2014. The four asymmetric decisions relate to the four markets Arcep is regulating. The most noteworthy element is the creation of a separate civil engineering market for physical infrastructure, in which it proposes to designate Orange as the operator with SMP. The other three markets are those included in the EC’s Recommendation – namely Market 3a for passives, Market 3b for active elements, and Market 4 for business active solutions.
Consolidating symmetrical regulation: In the previous cycle of analysis, Arcep aimed to impose symmetrical rules to ensure all operators participate in the investment effort, in areas where Orange stood alone. Arcep now says this goal has been achieved, and it is now time to extend symmetrical rules to QoS guarantees, so that fibre lives up to expectations in all areas of the country, and across the consumer and the business sector.
Supporting Orange in copper switch-off: Arcep looks to achieve a complete switchover from copper to fibre within the next 10 years, in line with Orange’s commitments. In the new draft, Arcep confirms its initial proposals which include encouraging operators to switchover to fibre where available, by setting out terms and conditions for an early commercial switch-off, ahead of the technical one.
