Lengthy notice periods and ample regulatory oversight should ensure a smooth transition to fibre
Stakeholders get their say on Orange’s plan: Orange first announced its plans to retire its copper network in 2019. Following a pilot scheme, the operator would start retirement in 2023 with a view to completing it in 2030. The copper retirement will be subject to regulatory scrutiny as set out by Arcep in its 2020 review of the wholesale broadband access markets. Orange has now submitted a detailed plan to the regulator, which started a consultation this week until 4 April, making clear that it wants to protect the interests of end users and guarantee competition between operators.
Arcep could reduce the notice periods Orange has to give: The plan has two stages of retirement of the copper network. The commercial closure sends a first signal to operators and customers to start the migration to fibre connections, and is followed by the technical closure of each copper loop. The plan foresees a 36-month notice before the commercial closure of an area (down to 18 months for less-densely populated areas). A 36-month notice will also apply before implementing the technical closure of wholesale and retail copper offers in a given area. Once the criteria for the commercial closure are met, Orange also has to give a 12-month notice before the actual closure. These notice periods reflect those set out by Arcep in 2020, however in the consultation commercial closure could be shortened once Orange’s actual plan has been assessed. For example, the notice period to withdraw mass market products in each area could be reduced to 18 months if all premises are connectable and if Orange’s FTTH offer allows operators to replicate copper products.
A well-thought out plan compared to some other countries: With its seven-year horizon, Orange’s plan should give stakeholders ample time to manage the migration to fibre. It is worth noting that Orange’s overall plan for copper retirement includes a transition phase, which started in 2020 and will continue until 2025. During this period, operators will have time to experiment and organise the migration. Only from 2026 will the actual closure begin – a date set to ensure that it can happen when there are no customers left on the copper network. This date aligns with the Government’s target for full-fibre coverage, which should be achieved by 2025. Elsewhere, retirement plans are happening in a more disruptive way – for example in the Netherlands, where the regulator could intervene following complaints from alternative operators about the lack of a proper migration plan from KPN. In Norway, the regulator Nkom is delaying Telenor’s retirement plan due to concerns about possible disruption for consumers and other operators. The plan was due to complete in 2022 but will now be in 2025.
Source: https://en.arcep.fr/news/press-releases/view/n/copper-switch-off-01-070222.html
