Is France Telecom Blocking FTTX Roll-Out?
In 2006, Iliad announced a one-billion-euro (US$1.3 billion) investment in FTTH, prompting similar pledges from the other operators and giving the impression that France would become a European leader in fibre roll-out. However, after three years, only 170,000 homes were using FTTH at the end of 2008, of which 130,000 were cable customers, according to regulator figures. France’s alternate operators appeared to be moving towards an agreement on the rollout of fibre in the country (see France: 17 December 2008: Numericable Joins Orange and SFR in Agreement on FTTX Network Sharing), but France Telecom has been somewhat insistent on going its own way. However, in December France Telecom lashed out at Iliad’s Free for refusing to accept proposals for a joint network roll-out in Paris (see France: 12 December 2008: France Telecom Accuses Rival Free of Holding Up Fibre Roll-Out). France Telecom has attracted some hefty fines in the past for abuse of its dominant position (see France: 3 April
