16 Rev2b NGA Opinion Supplementary doc - IRG

ERG (07) 16rev2b NGA Opinion Supplementary Doc 33 / 69
This summer, ARCEP launched two public consultations on FttH, the first dealing with the
competitive situation concerning access to ducts and the possible regulation of ducts with a
view to rolling out high-speed broadband local loops, the second dealing with the sharing
among operators of the last segments of the optical local loop in order to limit the amount of
work carried out in buildings.
Access to ducts
Digging trenches and laying cables to buildings accounts for approximately two thirds of the
cost of rolling out the optical fibre local loop. In less densely built-up areas, the cost of such
civil engineering work is higher and rapidly becomes prohibitive.
France Telecom is currently rolling out fibre in its ducts, which were inherited by the former
monopoly. A certain number of these ducts are not occupied and can be used to roll out FttH
networks.
The former telephone service monopoly has therefore given France Telecom a major advantage
as far as the development of high-speed broadband networks is concerned. Against
this, it is unlikely that competition will be able to develop in smaller towns if alternative operators
are required to replicate all the necessary civil engineering work in such localities.
ARCEP has therefore written a public consultation with respect to the competitive situation
concerning access to electronic communications ducts and the possible regulation of this
access. The objective of this consultation is to enable all operators to have access to these
infrastructures. It would then be possible to achieve fair competition, based on merit, between
operators in the rollout of high-speed broadband networks.
The aim of such regulation, focused on these essential infrastructures, would be to encourage
investment and to guarantee infrastructure-based competition in the local loop segment.
It could reduce the need for asymmetric regulation of the higher network layers and avoid the
functional separation which as has been proposed by certain players.
Sharing the last part of the fibre local loop
Several operators are currently rolling out their own optical local loops in the same main cities,
till the buildings, but also, within a building, to the apartments.
In the long run it does not seem reasonable for each optical local loop operator to have its
own dedicated cables and optical connectors in each building and each separate apartment.
The amount of work involved would cause considerable inconvenience to the building’s occupants
and co-owners. However, people must be able to change broadband operator without
having to move home!
The last part of the fibre local loop must therefore be shared by several operators. The second
public consultation written by ARCEP concerns the technical, financial and legal issues
raised by such shared usage. In view of the complexity of this subject, which affects a number
of different aspects of the sector, certain questions require changes to the corresponding
legal and regulatory framework.