Click here if you are having trouble viewing this message.

November 2025 Edition

- News from our members

- Telecom Digest:

• SpikeHERO Project: EU Initiative to Triple Fibre Bandwidth and Slash Energy Use with Brain-Inspired AI
• Gigabit Fibre and 5G Data Use Quadruple in Five Years, OECD Reports
• Fibre in UK: £2,6B (approximately EUR $2,95$ billion) Fund Backs Rural Rollout While New Asset-Sharing Co-op is Launched
• Arcep Study Confirms French Symmetric Regulation Drives Top-Tier FTTH Deployment and Competition
• NBI Connects Over 150.000 Irish Premises to Fibre Broadband Network
• Fibre Subscriptions Soar in Czechia as Digital Demand Grows: Czech Telecommunication Office
• Spanish FTTH Market Continues Growth, Adds Over 80.000 Lines in July: CNMC's update

- Next events from the FTTH Council Europe

Are we deploying FTTH at a national scale? IQGeo’s Raf Meersman explains the critical challenges, like fragmented coordination and outdated legacy systems. Learn the essential strategy: treat operational data as a live asset. By linking design, field work, and commercial activity, operators gain real-time visibility, leading to faster project completion and fewer errors. Discover how automation and AI will create the next generation of self-updating networks. Read the full interview to learn how to turn your network data into a major operational advantage.

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS 

Jetting AB: The Modern Method: Installing Fiber with Air, Not Muscle

Stop pulling fiber! Learn why modern installers use air blowing and floating to install fiber optics. This method is faster and minimizes cable strain. Discover how a two-person crew can install 10,000 ft (3,000 m) of cable in under an hour, a task that takes days with traditional pulling. Reduce costs and damage today. Click Here to learn more.

Lightera: Competing for Subscribers in an Oversaturated Market

The European FTTH landscape is marked by intense competition and operational strain. Differentiation now requires a shift from price-driven models toward service excellence, environmental responsibility, and sustainable value creation for subscribers. Click here to learn more.

Open Fibre: With Fiber Optics, Access to Information Belongs to Everyone

Access to information depends on solid, widespread infrastructure - and fiber optics is the key. By bridging the digital divide and supporting digital skills, it enables equality, participation, and growth in an increasingly connected world. On the Open Fiber website, discover the strong link between the FTTH network and social progress. Click here to learn more.

Praxedo GmbH: Digitalizing the Last Mile: How Smart Scheduling Accelerates FTTH Deployment in

Coordinating installation appointments in Network Level 4 (NL4) is the biggest bottleneck in the FTTH rollout. The customer booking portal from Praxedo uses FSM and AI-powered route optimization to boost end-customer usability. This drastically cuts down planning time, leading to measurably faster fiber deployment. Click here to learn more.

Setics: The End of Copper Network: why and how to prepare for it? 

France is bidding farewell to its historic copper network to embrace modern, high-performance fibre technology. This major shift brings challenges and opportunities for communities and businesses alike. Discover how to anticipate the transition, avoid disruptions, and make the most of this digital transformation. Click here to learn more!

Technetix: Beyond the Build: Connecting People, Not Just Poles

As high-speed internet access becomes something of a basic necessity in homes and businesses, the global push for fiber network expansion has been significant in recent years.  To remain competitive and profitable, operators must find ways to accelerate network deployment and customer acquisition. Click here to learn more.

TKI: Advancing Fibre Deployment through Real-Time 3D Field Capture

A new approach to fibre network deployment is emerging, using real-time 3D field capture to improve accuracy and efficiency. By enabling instant, field-based documentation, this technology helps reduce delays, minimise rework, and ensure precise as-built data for engineering teams. The result is a smoother connection between field operations and design, supporting faster and more reliable network roll-outs. Click here to learn more on TKI website.

Calix: The 4 AI questions every CEO needs to ask to succeed

Michael Weening, CEO of Calix, shares four critical AI questions every leader must ask to succeed. Drawing on Calix’s $2B platform investment and $100M AI strategy, he explains how integrating AI into core systems empowers businesses to make smarter decisions and gain a competitive edge. Click here to learn more.

Corning: Debunked: Five Common Myths About Pre-Terminated Fiber Solutions

Untested? Unrepairable? Too complicated? There are a lot of myths and outdated assumptions about pre-terminated fiber solutions. But in reality, pre-terminated fiber is proven, effective, and field-tested, enabling faster network deployments which reduce overall costs. Click here to learn more.

EXFO: Hollow-core Fiber: Power and Precision for Critical Networks

With hollow-core fiber delivering 40% faster light speeds for data centers & financial networks, how are businesses testing this cutting-edge tech? Explore the breakthrough technology that is reshaping critical networks unlocking ultra-low latency performance for AI, trading & cloud applications. Click here to learn more.

Genexis: Better Wi-Fi, stronger Europe: Why the upper 6 GHz band matters

Here’s why we continue to advocate that the full upper 6 GHz be made available for license-exempt use. High-quality broadband is essential to Europe’s infrastructure. It powers how people connect, how businesses operate, and how services are delivered. The upper 6 GHz band could unlock next-gen Wi-Fi performance and support digital transformation. Click here to learn more.

Globema: Maximizing Telecom Network Efficiency with Smallworld PNI

Discover how GO plc, a leading telecommunications provider in Malta, leveraged Smallworld Physical Network Inventory (PNI) to optimize its telecom network operations. As one of the largest investors in Malta’s digital infrastructure, GO has played a pivotal role in driving the country’s digital transformation. Click here to learn more.

TELECOM DIGEST

SpikeHERO Project: EU Initiative to Triple Fibre Bandwidth and Slash Energy Use with Brain-Inspired AI

The EU-funded SpikeHERO consortium, led by the Fraunhofer Institute's integrated circuits research lab, has launched a four-year initiative supported by a EUR 4,2 million grant to significantly enhance fibre optic links and consolidate Europe’s technological sovereignty in digital infrastructures. The project centers on a novel telecoms AI concept powered by spiking neural network microchips, which mimic the human brain's neural activity. SpikeHero's architecture combines an electrical spiking chip with an optical spiking circuit to analyze and correct signal interference within fibre communication channels. This revolutionary method is expected to reduce signal degradation, leading to major improvements in fibre performance: available bandwidth is projected to increase from 10 GHz to 30 GHz, and latency will be reduced to less than 6 nanoseconds. Furthermore, the energy consumption for this technology is expected to decrease drastically, falling from 7-10 watts to just 1-2 watts. The consortium, which includes partners like Eindhoven University of Technology and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Labs, will contribute to the EU Chips Act and the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU).

Gigabit Fibre and 5G Data Use Quadruple in Five Years, OECD Reports

The OECD highlights the rapid market maturity across developed economies between 2019 and 2024, showing major growth in fibre, 5G, and new access technologies. Fibre is now the dominant fixed connection, growing from 28% to 47% of fixed broadband subscriptions, largely supplanting DSL. Total fibre subscriptions grew by almost 15% annually, far surpassing overall fixed growth. This growth has also fueled a shift toward high-speed offerings, with 1 Gb/s fixed subscriptions rising four-and-a-half times to hit 19% of the market. Meanwhile, 5G now accounts for 37% of all mobile subscriptions, driving a surge in data consumption: the average mobile subscriber now uses 15 GB per month, up 2,5 times in five years. Alternative technologies are also gaining ground; Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) tripled its share of fixed broadband to 6%, reflecting a strong 24% average annual growth, particularly in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Overall, the data points to a major shift toward high-speed, high-consumption digital infrastructures across OECD nations.

French Government to Offer Grants Up to €1,200 for Difficult Fibre Connections

The French government has implemented a new pilot scheme to financially support households and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with "complex" fibre installations. The initiative, part of a larger EUR 16,1 million program, will provide grants ranging from EUR 400 to EUR 1.200 for installations on private property that fall outside the standard work typically performed by fibre operators. The pilot targets 3.142 municipalities slated for a near-term copper network switch-off and is active from September 2025 to May 2027. This move is part of France's ongoing efforts to ensure nationwide access to high-speed broadband and aligns with European digital connectivity goals. It addresses the challenges of last-mile connectivity in areas with difficult terrain or infrastructure, aiming to accelerate the transition from copper to fibre.

Fibre in UK: £2,6B (approximately EUR $2.95$ billion) Fund Backs Rural Rollout While New Asset-Sharing Co-op is Launched

A collective of 20 local and regional fibre operators in the United Kingdom, organized under the Independent Networks Cooperative Association (INCA), has launched a joint venture to create a crucial shared asset platform, developed over the last year and a half. This initiative aims to monetize the operators' fibre assets, which total over 500.000 km nationwide, by providing a platform for sharing essential infrastructure like ducts, poles, and dark fibre. The platform is intended to serve as an alternative and complement to Openreach's wholesale arm, seeking to generate new revenue for independent operators, notably from mobile backhaul and data centre markets, while simultaneously reducing infrastructure duplication across the country. To operationalize this, INCA has established an industry framework standardising terms and documentation, partnering with AssetHub to provide registered asset owners and seekers with standardized maps detailing available assets.

This cooperative effort coincides with a significant financial boost to UK infrastructure: a new investor-led partnership called "Sterling 20" has been formally unveiled, boasting a value of GBP $2,6$ billion (USD $3,5$ billion/ approximately EUR $3,04$ billion), spearheaded by UK pension funds and insurers, including Legal & General, Aviva, M&G, and Nest. This fund specifically targets strategic national infrastructure, with rural broadband taking centre stage, aiming to catalyze private investment that complements the government's Project Gigabit goals and national economic growth.

Arcep Study Confirms French Symmetric Regulation Drives Top-Tier FTTH Deployment and Competition

The French telecommunications regulator, Arcep, has published a study by Plum consulting that provides a highly positive assessment of the French symmetric regulatory framework for Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks, which has been in place since 2009. The framework, which mandates infrastructure sharing among operators, is credited with making France a European leader. In under 15 years, the country achieved over 90% FTTH coverage, significantly higher than the 69% EU average, largely driven by approximately €35 billion in private investment. This model has fostered intense market competition, with 98% of covered homes having a choice of at least three ISPs, resulting in both massive consumer adoption of gigabit speeds and some of the lowest retail prices in Europe. Crucially, the study warns that any relaxation or removal of this symmetric regulation would likely have negative effects, including decreased coverage and increased prices, thereby justifying the current robust framework.

NBI Connects Over 150,000 Irish Premises to Fibre Broadband Network

National Broadband Ireland (NBI) has connected over 150.000 Irish homes, businesses, and farms to its fibre broadband network. The company has successfully rolled out its network past 420.000 premises across the country, out of the 564.000 premises designated in the National Broadband Plan (NBP) Intervention Area. Notably, NBI has already exceeded its 2025 target of passing 420,000 premises and expects to reach over 440.000 by year-end. With all preliminary survey and design works now complete across the entire Intervention Area, the NBI network rollout is set to move into its final stage in 2026. This progress underscores the accelerating pace of the national fibre deployment.

Fibre Subscriptions Surge as Czech Data Consumption Passes 18 Exabytes

The Czech Telecommunication Office reported that Czech Republic reached 957.000 fibre internet (FTTH/B) subscribers in 2024, representing 22,9% of all internet users in the country; concurrently, the average monthly data transfer per active fixed connection was nearly 366 GB, summing up to over 18 Exabytes (EB) of total traffic, while the most used fixed access method remained Wi-Fi at 26,8% share, and mobile internet users transferred data exceeding 1,7 EB, with the average monthly consumption per mobile internet SIM increasing to 12,5 GB.

Spanish FTTH Market Continues Growth, Adds Over 80,000 Lines in July
 

The Spanish fixed broadband market reached 17,4 million FTTH connections in June 2025, according to the CNMC's official update. This represents a significant year-on-year growth of around 1,1 million lines, with fibre comprising over 90% of the 19,24 million total fixed lines.This strong fibre uptake completely offset the final loss of DSL connections, as Telefónica closed its last copper exchanges, and HFC lines also decreased. Regarding market share for July 2025, the MasOrange group led with 37% of fixed broadband lines. Telefónica followed with 31%, and Vodafone Spain held 14%. Digi Spain was the top gainer, adding 45.000 lines to achieve 12% market share, while all other ISPs held the remaining 6%.

NEXT EVENTS

The foremost event in European fibre optics, the FTTH Conference 2026, is set to take place from April 14-16 at the ExCeL London, UK. This three-day conference will gather over 3,000 industry leaders from across the entire Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) value chain to focus on strategic discussions, advancing business, and high-level networking. Participants will examine the newest innovations and trends, connecting with key decision-makers who are actively defining the future of fibre in Europe. This flagship event provides an unmatched opportunity for fostering business growth and gaining profound knowledge of the fibre industry. Further information will be released soon. Subscribe now to stay in touch!

#FibreHorizon is the FTTH Council Europe's monthly selection

of digital and fibre-related news.

For more information, check our website or contact us.

The FTTH Council is committed to being compliant with the EU's GDPR. Take 1 minute & keep receiving our news on the fibre world and the FTTH Conference!

About Us
 

The FTTH Council Europe is an industry organisation with a mission to advance ubiquitous full fibre-based connectivity to the whole of Europe.

Our vision is that fibre connectivity will transform and enhance the way we live, do business and interact, connecting everyone and everything, everywhere. Fibre is the future-proof, climate-friendly infrastructure which is a crucial prerequisite for safeguarding Europe’s global competitiveness while playing a leading global role in sustainability.

The FTTH Council Europe consists of more than 170 member companies.

Click here to unsubscribe or to change your Subscription Preferences. 

Contact Us:

Secretariat

Communications & Public Affairs 

FTTH Council Europe ASBL

4 Rue de la Presse 

1000 Brussels, Belgium

www.ftthcouncil.eu

You are receiving this email because you opted into the FTTH Council Europe database either by registering on the FTTH Council Europe website or through giving consent to a FTTH Council Europe representative

Copyright © 2025 FTTH Council Europe ASBL, All rights reserved.