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May 2026 Edition

- News from our members

- Telecom Digest:

The EU Asserts Its Digital Sovereignty Through Connectivity Diplomacy
Spain Sets the Benchmark: 18 Million FTTH Lines and Counting
EDPCM: The EU's Industrial Connectivity Offer Has Strong Assets but Uneven Execution
EU and Japan Deepen Digital Infrastructure Cooperation
FTTH Conference 2026: Taking Stock of Europe's Fibre Moment

- Next events from the FTTH Council Europe

NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Corning's Global Impact Report: It's About Innovation

Celebrating 175 years of innovation, Corning's 2025 Global Impact Report details progress on sustainability across fibre optics and beyond. As Mark Steen, VP of Sustainability and Climate Initiatives, puts it, "we view today as the midpoint of a 350-year journey to make the world a little bit better."

Expertise in sustainable connection across the fibre ecosystem

Building sustainable FTTH networks requires multi-level actions: from material selection to component design and responsible collaboration across the value chain. These factors directly impact reliability and environmental footprint of the entire network. Solutions such as low-emission connectors can support this gradual transition. Read more on Camozzi Technopolymers website.

What's really eating up technician time in fiber-dense environments?

The real slowdown comes from wasted minutes and hours chasing false negatives, repeating tests without visibility, juggling tools and files instead of fixing the issue. This article by EXFO explores where those hidden time sinks really are, and reframes operational efficiency so you can transform how you build, test and maintain high‑fiber networks.

Fiber optics and immersive reality: why AR and VR need high-performance networks

AR and VR are reshaping how we learn, work, and collaborate, but their full potential depends on high-performance networks. Discover why FTTH fiber optics is key to enabling truly immersive experiences. Read more on the Open Fiber website.

TELECOM DIGEST

Europe Asserts Its Digital Sovereignty Through Connectivity Diplomacy

The European Commission, in cooperation with France and Finland, hosted a high-level study visit in April bringing together policymakers and regulators from Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines and Vietnam. The programme, which took participants through Brussels, Aachen, Antwerp, Paris and Helsinki, centred on policy frameworks for secure and trusted telecommunications infrastructure.p

The initiative implements the EU's International Digital Strategy and its newly developed Tech Business Offer, a structured effort to support partner countries' digital transformation while expanding the reach of European industry. Meetings spanned the European Commission, the European External Action Service and leading European tech companies, covering legislative tools such as the proposed Digital Networks Act, cybersecurity frameworks and the EU Submarine Cable Security Toolbox. The visit signals a maturing of the EU's external digital posture: connectivity infrastructure is increasingly treated not just as a commercial sector but as a geopolitical instrument.

Spain Sets the Benchmark: 18 Million FTTH Lines and Counting

Spain’s fibre market continues to set the pace in Europe, with FTTH connections surpassing 18 million lines in March 2026, according to the latest figures from the CNMC. Fibre now overwhelmingly dominates the country’s fixed broadband market, while legacy technologies continue to decline.

The data reinforces Spain’s position as one of Europe’s most mature fibre economies - the result of long-term infrastructure investment, competitive wholesale dynamics and sustained operator commitment. Market concentration remains high, with the largest operators continuing to control the vast majority of broadband lines despite increasing competitive pressure from challengers such as Digi.

The figures arrive at a crucial moment for the sector. Following the CNMC’s reported decision to fully deregulate the wholesale fibre market from February 2026, Spain is becoming a live test case for whether a highly mature FTTH ecosystem can sustain infrastructure competition on predominantly commercial terms.

ECDPM: The EU's Industrial Connectivity Offer Has Strong Assets but Uneven Execution

A new ECDPM briefing note, the European Union’s industrial strengths in digital connectivity remain significant but unevenly deployed. Europe holds world-class capabilities in subsea cables, fibre networks and data centres, yet this strength is fragmented and not always backed by strong local operators. The core challenge is not one of capacity but of integration: the EU must build a coherent, end-to-end connectivity offer that turns control over physical infrastructure into genuine geopolitical leverage.

In fibre and 5G equipment, European champions remain the main non-Chinese alternatives globally, but both are losing ground in developing markets where Chinese suppliers dominate on price. In data centres, European firms compete primarily as suppliers of engineering, energy efficiency and cooling expertise, rather than as operators with strategic ownership. Addressing this will require stronger financial and regulatory support for European operators, and faster mobilisation of the EU's own financing instruments.

EU and Japan Deepen Digital Infrastructure Cooperation

The EU is deepening its digital infrastructure strategy through closer cooperation with Japan, with a strong focus on resilient connectivity, secure data flows and next-generation network development. At their latest Digital Partnership Council in Brussels, both sides a broad agenda spanning digital infrastructure, data governance, AI and semiconductors, sectors increasingly central to Europe's economic security and digital sovereignty ambitions. A new working group was launched to improve interoperability between their respective data frameworks, while joint 6G research was advanced as both economies seek to reinforce their leadership in next-generation network technologies.

For the connectivity and data centre sectors, the direction is clear: the EU is actively building a network of trusted partnerships to support more secure, diversified and geopolitically resilient digital infrastructure, the backbone on which accelerating AI and cloud demand will depend.

FTTH Conference 2026: Taking Stock of Europe's Fibre Moment

The FTTH Conference 2026 in London brought together operators, investors, regulators and policymakers for the industry's flagship annual gathering, this year against the backdrop of a market that is simultaneously maturing and evolving. The programme reflected the full breadth of the sector's current agenda: deployment progress and coverage milestones, investment models, regulatory developments, and the growing role of fibre as the foundation for AI, cloud and next-generation digital services. Market data presented at the conference confirmed that Europe's fibre build-out continues to advance.
Beyond the numbers, the conversation increasingly turned to what comes next: how to accelerate take-up, how to ensure rollout models remain financially sustainable, and how demand-side policies can keep pace with the infrastructure being built. The conference made clear that fibre is no longer just a connectivity story - it is central to Europe's broader digital and industrial ambitions.

NEXT EVENTS

Francesco Nonno, President of the FTTH Council Europe , will participate in the panel session titled “The Digital Networks Act: Future-proofing the EU’s digital connectivity” organised by the Council of the European Union. As part of the panel debate on Building a competitive and innovative EU telecommunications market, discussions will focus on the role of gigabit networks and resilient digital infrastructure in achieving the objectives of Europe’s Digital Decade.

The conference will explore the key actions needed to modernise and streamline the current legal framework, paving the way for a true Single Market for digital connectivity through the upcoming Digital Networks Act. Register now and join the discussion shaping the future of Europe’s digital connectivity.

We are pleased to announce the participation of Francesco Nonno, President of the FTTH Council Europe , in the conference “Digital Networks Act for a Competitive and Secure Europe.”

Mr. Nonno will contribute to the discussions shaping Europe’s digital future, with a focus on the role of fibre networks in building a competitive, resilient, and secure connectivity ecosystem. Follow the conversation as Europe advances towards a full-fibre future.

Building on the momentum and achievements of Amsterdam, the 2027 edition of the FTTH Conference will deliver an even more dynamic programme, valuable networking opportunities, and in-depth discussions on the future of digital infrastructure, innovation, and full-fibre deployment.

Save the date and stay tuned for upcoming announcements, speaker updates, and event highlights.

#FibreHorizon is the FTTH Council Europe's monthly selection

of digital and fibre-related news.

For more information, check our website or contact us.

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.

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