EU Regulators: 2030 Copper-Fiber Migration Plan ‘Overambitious’

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Countries with strong former monopolists like Deutsche Telekom are proving to be a stumbling block in achieving the EU Commission’s goal of successfully implementing the copper-to-fiber migration by 2030. The European regulatory authority considers the plans to be overly ambitious.

It’s always easier to build on a greenfield site. Therefore, some other countries have already made more progress in broadband expansion than Germany, which was once a leader in Europe with its copper-cable-based ISDN technology.

As cited by heise online from the recently published second progress report by the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) on the copper-to-fiber migration, currently only ten European countries, including two non-EU members, assume they can shut down their copper networks by 2030.

Few countries are already that far along

In 14 countries, including eleven EU member states, network operators with significant market share have not yet announced plans to shut down their copper networks.

This makes it unlikely that the EU Commission will achieve its goal of replacing existing copper with fiber-optic cables in all countries by 2030 to drive broadband expansion forward. Accordingly, the body of regulators describes the EU goals in the new report as “overly ambitious” and such guidelines as “not the most suitable instrument to address the very different situations in individual member states.”

The draft report, which can be commented on until January 31, 2025, according to heise, is based on a survey conducted in spring 2024 among 31 European regulatory authorities, including the responsible agencies in the 27 member states, such as the German Federal Network Agency.

Improvements, but still few concrete plans for full copper-to-fiber migration

At the European level, much has improved since 2022, and significant progress in fiber-optic expansion is evident. The number of countries that have already made the transition has also increased.

Just under half of the mentioned operators with significant market power have already announced plans to completely shut down their old networks. Pioneers include providers in Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Sweden. However, most of them do not expect to do so before 2030. Deutsche Telekom has not yet specified a date, nor have the former monopolists in Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Romania.

Liechtenstein, which is not an EU member, is the most advanced in the transition and is expected to complete it by the end of 2024. Within the EU, regulators expect Cyprus, Denmark, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Sweden to complete the migration by 2030.

“The draft report, which can be commented on until January 31, 2025, is based on a survey conducted in spring 2024 among 31 European regulatory authorities, including the responsible agencies in the 27 member states, such as the German Federal Network Agency.”

Germany is falling behind

The regulatory body sees the biggest hurdle as avoiding forced migration and the resulting protests. Longer lead times after the announcement and efficient communication, on the other hand, would have a positive impact and lead to greater acceptance. The regulators consider adequate protection for end-users to be necessary for the planned projects. The EU Council of Ministers also noted that the shutdown of copper lines could, at best, be done gradually.

Telecom competitors, in turn, are calling for more transparency in the plans to shut down copper networks. However, Deutsche Telekom has recently warned that this would amount to a “forced switch of providers.”

Philipp Müller, Managing Director of the broadband association ANGA, which represents the interests of cable network operators, warned in light of the GEREK report that Germany is increasingly in danger of slipping into the middle of the pack when it comes to fast internet. Other countries such as France, Spain, or the Scandinavians are far ahead of Germany. The Federal Network Agency should present its announced key points paper as soon as possible, and do so independently of new elections and a possible change of government.

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Source title image: Unsplash / Mika Baumeister