Arcep has just given its position on the quality of fiber connections. The verdict: although the split of the fiber connection sector between infrastructure operators and commercial operators has allowed a "massive acceleration" of the deployment of fiber in France, it has also led to abuses. As illustrated by the "noodle dishes" that too often overflow from civil engineering cabinets.

Indeed, for the French telecom regulator, even if the door is open to all commercial operators who request it in order to improve competition and to pull prices down, they must continue to prioritize quality over quantity.

And the STOC mode is particularly in the line of fire of the Authority. It reminds that "In this respect, the decision of Arcep is very clear: the regulatory framework fully allows an infrastructure operator to suspend the access of a commercial operator to the STOC mode in case of repeated failure on its part to comply with reasonable technical specifications and the rules of the art".

The problem of the final connection is not new. But in order to face the increasing number of reports and the rise of dissatisfaction, Infranum has just announced a major agreement between infrastructure operators and commercial operators. The operators have committed to improving the safety and quality of interventions, by reinforcing contractual procedures for the recovery of defects and by carrying out joint audits between infrastructure operators and commercial operators.

The agreement announced by Infranum provides for the collective assumption of network repair costs, according to a distribution key approved by Arcep, whereas the law stipulates that only the infrastructure operator is responsible for the proper functioning and maintenance of fiber optic connection equipment. The new framework is also accompanied by a more drastic penalty regime that can go as far as the exclusion of a subcontractor in the event of a contractual breach.

This is enough to satisfy Arcep, for whom "the current situation is difficult to understand". And to call for the commitments made by Infranum to be signed by all the stakeholders in the sector. And to remind that "these networks will be the reference fixed infrastructure for the next decades".

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Source : ZDnet

On October 23rd, the Arcep validated an amendment to the roaming contract that already bound the two operators. Free will thus be able to use Orange's 2G and 3G networks for its own commercial offers until December 31, 2022 instead of December 31, 2020. This is despite criticism from SFR, Bouygues Telecom or other alternative operators grouped within the Alternative Telecom association.

To justify its delay in deploying its own 2G and 3G infrastructures, the operator founded by Xavier Niel denounced the mutualization of networks signed in 2014 by Bouygues Telecom and SFR, the reinforced 4G deployment obligations imposed by the New Mobile Deal, and the lack of frequencies.

This argument hit the nail on the head with the Arcep, which nevertheless maintained the cap on the maximum upload and download speeds achievable by roaming customers at 384 kbits.

Even if the Arcep assures that it will "remain attentive to the continued investment by Free Mobile in the deployment of its own networks", this is not enough to calm the criticism of those opposed to this extension.

Starting with the management of SFR, for whom "ten years after obtaining its 3G license, this roaming agreement granted to Free Mobile is only the admission of a crying lack of investment by Free Mobile during all these years".

For its part, Bouygues Telecom points out that "roaming was designed from the outset as a transitional measure, with the sole aim of enabling the new entrant to compensate for its late entry into the market". However, "Free can no longer be described as a new entrant in the mobile telephony market" and "now has a network that is broadly comparable to that of its competitors, and therefore quite sufficient to enable it to compete vigorously" in the mobile market."

Alternative operators point out that the license granted to Free Mobile by the authorities was awarded "in exchange for ambitious commitments to stimulate competition".

These criticisms did not prevent the extension of the roaming agreement between Free and Orange. Even if Free's management is now tending to catch up in terms of deployment, it is not certain that this will be enough to calm the slings and arrows of its competitors. Especially since the recent statements of Orange's CEO concerning a possible mutualization of the two operators' 5G networks should not help to pacify the debate.

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Source : ZDNet

The government is considering changing the rules of the Guichet France THD project to bring optical fibre to rural areas. With the tightening of subsidy modalities, this new set of specifications has already caused local authorities to jump. And it does not go to the side of the corporate telecom players either.

Indeed, for the Association of Alternative Telecommunications Operators (AOTA) and the Federation of Office and Digital Enterprises (EBEN), the executive's proposals even send "very negative and deeply worrying signals for the competitiveness of companies located outside very dense areas". They therefore request a "correction" of the draft put out to consultation until 23 December. The AOTA and EBEN point in particular to the question of the financing of collection, and therefore the existence of activated offers for operators of digital proximity services. Another concern concerns the exclusion of priority sites from the scope eligible for State aid.

In a "totally anemic" corporate market, marked in particular by the difficulties of Kosc and by the "reconstitution of Orange's market power", B2B Telecom players continue "more generally, these new specifications are the exact opposite of the expected measures".

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Source : DegroupNews

Signed on 28 March, this strategic agreement between the two operators of French operators was concluded for a period of 20 years. It concerns access to their respective infrastructures.

Indeed, Kosc Telecom provides its FFTH collection infrastructure via its bitstream offer. This allows its new partner to enrich its catalogue of services and complete its offer of residential collection on existing copper support (xDSL).
Ielo-Liazo, for its part, is opening up access to its national fibre network via a new industrial NRO optical unbundling offer. This will enable Kosc Telecom to deliver high quality services and strengthen the national coverage of its Enterprise Fibre network.

This long-term partnership between these two operators, specialists in the wholesale of telecom products, represents for Ielo-Liazo a concrete application of its strategy aimed at offering the enterprise market a unified infrastructure offer for operators. While it is a complementary step for Kosc in its strategy to offer its customers operators 100% of the lines available in France.

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Source : Kosc Telecom