The President of the FTTH Council Europe says FTTH for Europe can be achieved and that a
more realistic discussion on deployment costs is needed in Europe.
The FTTH Council Europe today made public the first results of its
updated study on the cost of deploying FTTH throughout the EU as input to the ongoing legislative
debate on the proposal for a European Electronic Communications Code.
The cost model calculated the complete overlay of the EU28 countries with fibre (Fibre to the Home)
in a greenfield scenario.
The cost includes 100% homes passed and 50% connected. Accounting for
the already existing fibre coverage and connections (approx. 30% and 10% respectively) the model
shows that the outstanding costs of full fibre coverage in the EU are €156 billion. The re-use of
existing infrastructure and effective implementation of the Cost Reduction Directive can lead to
significant cost savings and could further bring down these costs.
We believe that a transparent and realistic discussion is needed so that the co-legislators, end-users
and investors are aware of the real costs of creating a Gigabit Society.
‘Our model was developed by COMSOF who are network designers and cost modelling experts. I don’t
wish to understate the challenge that Europe faces or the size of the investment that will be needed
but the challenge should not be overstated either. These cost estimates show that FTTH is achievable
throughout the EU.’ said Erzsebet Fitori, Director General of the FTTH Council Europe.
Ronan Kelly, the President of the FTTH Council Europe added ‘We can also see that Sweden, Spain and
Portugal have FTTH coverage for instance that is over 80% - strongly suggesting that high fibre
coverage can be realistically achieved. Both the EIB and Analysis Mason put the cost of a full FTTH
network at between €220bn and €250bn with that number falling to €154bn with infrastructure
reuse1
.We need to have a realistic assessment of level of costs and their implications. Policy makers
should not compromise in seeking the best networks for Europe and networks that can support 5G
and next generation digital services.’
The FTTH Council study will be launched and discussed at the FTTH Conference in Marseille, France
14-16 February 2017 www.ftthconference.eu
About the FTTH Council Europe: ...
The FTTH Council Europe is an industry organisation with a mission to accelerate the availability of
fibre-based, ultra-high-speed access networks to consumers and businesses. The Council promotes
thistechnology because it will deliver a flow of new servicesthat enhance the quality of life, contribute
to a better environment and increase economic competitiveness. The FTTH Council Europe consists
of 150 member companies. www.ftthcouncil.eu
More information about the FTTH Conference are available on the event website:
www.ftthconference.eu
