Europe - Broadband - Regulating fibre access

Synopsis

Several European countries now lead the world in broadband penetration. A number of factors have contributed to this success, fundamental among them being the role of governments and regulators in ensuring fair access to incumbent networks and in removing obstacles to investment. Europe still lags behind Asia in the deployment of fibre networks, yet the rapidly developing consumer market for triple play services and content means that the fibre sector will be the principal focus for new infrastructure investment in coming years. The onus is on national regulators to manage the expanding fibre footprint effectively, if necessary through enforcing structural separation on incumbents, so benefitting consumers and delivering a world-class infrastructure for the future. This report examines European regulatory policies in 2009 which aim to encourage fibre infrastructure investment while promoting competition.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. The need for fibre
  • 2.1.1 Arguments for fibre
  • 2.1.2 Supporting the triple play market
  • 3. Regulating access
  • 3.2 The EC’s strategy
    • 3.2.1 Regulating municipalities
    • 3.2.2 Regulating incumbents
  • 3.3 Structural separation
    • 3.3.1 Fibre networks
    • 3.3.2 Regulating access
    • 3.3.3 Operators’ strategy
    • 3.3.4 Examples of open access
• 4. Related reports

• Table 1 – Free projections - Paris fibre - 2006; 2008; 2010; 2012; 2014
• Table 2 – Forecast fibre subscribers weaker and stronger scenarios in Netherlands - 2008 - 2011; 2017

• Exhibit 1 – Structural separation developments – 2009