Orange announces the shutdown of the copper network for 2030

On January 31, 2022, Orange submitted to the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications, Posts and Press Distribution (ARCEP) a plan to close its copper local loop network. This project will be one of the operator’s priorities in terms of infrastructure in the years to come, with fiber optic coverage of the entire territory, in line with the measures taken by ARCEP.

The withdrawal of the copper network will take place gradually between 2026 and 2030

The objective is to ensure that optical fiber becomes the reference fixed infrastructure, which implies the closure of the historic copper network. Currently, nearly 32 million French households are eligible for fiber optics and 13 million of them have a subscription allowing them to obtain it from one of the fixed operators.

Gradually, the copper network will be closed to allow time for current users of ADSL technology, still numerous, to switch to fiber optics. At the same time, ADSL offers will no longer be marketed in the future in order to help households start switching to fiber optics. Orange gives itself eight years to be able to cover areas with little or no fiber optic coverage. Note that the State hopes that the entire territory will be covered by the end of 2025.

“ After a very strong acceleration in the deployment of optical fiber which allows us to reach 68% of French households covered today, we are now moving to a deceleration phase for this technology. This is the right time to start now and gradually decommission “explained the CEO of Orange France, Fabienne Dulac.

Shutting down the copper network: between savings made and problems to be solved

By removing the historic copper network, the operator will make several savings:

• At the financial level: Orange invests nearly 500 million euros each year to maintain the million kilometers of cables throughout the territory. A sum that can be invested elsewhere once the fiber optic network is fully deployed. In addition, Orange will be able to resell the copper it recovers from this dismantling (its price in January 2022 is €8.62 per kilo).
• In terms of energy: the fiber network costs three times less than the ADSL network and consumes less. The results of a study carried out by ARCEP showed that optical fiber consumes just over 0.5 watts per line, while ADSL consumes an average of 1.8 watts per line.

However, this operation will cause some problems:

• Operators will have to succeed in convincing reluctant ADSL users of the arrival of optical fiber in their homes.
• Should the copper be buried underground? Orange asks the question. In Sweden, the decommissioning phase has already been carried out, which has made it possible to see that the removal of cables buried underground can pose environmental problems.
• The withdrawal of the copper network will pose a problem with regard to the universal telecommunications service, which aims to provide a connection to a fixed network. Although Orange will provide it until the end of 2023, nothing has been done thereafter to allow people wishing to have a fixed telephone line to benefit from it.

ARCEP specified that it ” will ensure that the closure of the copper network takes place according to a rhythm and methods that preserve the interests of all users, individuals and businesses, and guarantee effective and fair competition between operators “.