Network resilience, environmental sustainability, connectivity and digital competition are at the centre of the regulator’s ambitions and actions for the next five years
Arcep has published its ‘Ambition 2030’ strategy, detailing its nine key objectives for next five years
On 21 January 2025, French communications regulator Arcep published its new 2030 strategy. The strategy aims to align Arcep’s ambitions and actions with the rapidly evolving digital landscape, with a view to establishing resilient digital infrastructure across France that is accessible to everyone for a long time to come. The plan sets out nine key objectives for the regulator:
Connectivity: Finalise the transition to high capacity fixed and mobile broadband networks for all;
Competitiveness: Ensure the availability of connectivity services that meet the needs of businesses;
Resilience: Ensure the quality, sustainability and resilience of telecoms infrastructure;
Environment: Share knowledge of the environmental impacts of digital technology;
Sustainability: Act to reduce the environmental impacts of digital technology;
Data: Promote the development of the economy through data and innovation;
Cloud: Promote greater freedom of choice of cloud services;
AI: Work towards opening up digital markets and AI systems; and
Distribution from the press: Promote the modernisation of press distribution and enhance the position of newsagents.
In a speech announcing the strategy, Laure de La Raudière (Chairwoman, Arcep) stressed that the regulator’s goals are ambitious and that they will not be achieved without the help of relevant domestic and European stakeholders.
Universal connectivity must be reached in France via the continued rollout of fibre and 5G
Arcep’s 2030 strategy outlines the importance of improving the coverage and quality of mobile services, aiming to meet the needs of the 85% of the population that access the internet via a smartphone. The strategy explains that the regulator will support the switch-off of legacy 2G and 3G networks as well as the continued deployment to newer, 5G infrastructure. Arcep’s plan also recognises the need to prepare for the future of mobile connectivity through discussions around 6G, the integration of direct-to-device (D2D) satellite services and the potential for the use of AI in mobile connectivity. In terms of fixed networks, the regulator is planning to continue its oversight of the deployment of fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), facilitating the transition of premises without fibre from “connectable” to “connected”. Arcep will monitor operators’ compliance with their fibre rollout obligations and will soon publish recommendations to clarify certain aspects of those obligations, in particular in cases preventing or delaying deployments from taking place.
Digital and telecoms infrastructure will be monitored to ensure the effective maintenance and resilience of networks
The 2030 strategy focuses on resilience and sustainability throughout, emphasising the importance of deploying and maintaining high-quality digital infrastructure while limiting its impact on the environment. Arcep cites three main reasons as to why it believes new challenges to resilience have emerged:
The changes in players involved in network construction and operation, such as fibrecos and towercos;
The increasing virtualisation of networks; and
The increased frequency of extreme weather events as a result of climate change, which can damage infrastructure and lead to poor connectivity.
The regulator has said that it will work with local authorities and the French Government in order to ensure future-proof and resilient digital infrastructure is properly deployed and maintained across the country. Arcep’s strategy plans to address the environmental impacts of fixed and mobile networks via its annual survey for sustainable digital technology. Its next two editions of this survey (expected in H1 2025 and H1 2026, respectively) will include environmental indicators and details first on the carbon footprint of mobile network equipment and then on fixed network equipment such as looking into the environmental impacts of manufacturing fibre optic cables.
Arcep plans to strengthen DMA measures to open up digital markets and encourage competition
Although the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) already imposes several obligations on designated ‘gatekeepers’, Arcep plans to strengthen these measures to continually encourage fair and competitive digital markets that provide greater choice for consumers. The regulator has set out its plans to conduct an evaluation of the DMA and its measures in May 2026, which will have a particular focus on social networks and their interoperability obligations, as well as on AI services and how the DMA’s regulations on these may need to be adapted within France to have their scope extended. Regulating for competition in the AI sector is also a key part of Arcep’s strategy. As a result of the competitive advantages held by a number of AI firms in cloud services, data and technical expertise, the regulator aims to ensure that more of these key resources remain available to new market entrants and competitors. Arcep hopes to do this with the help of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) through the EU’s DMA and Data Act.
