2023 highlights

FTTH Council Europe Membership: A Thriving Ecosystem

With almost 100 participants joining us in person in Berlin, the record attendance at the last 2023 Autumn General Assembly signifies an increasing engagement level among our 165 Members, a testimony to the value we strived to deliver across the past 12 months. With a diverse membership spanning the entire FTTH ecosystem across most European markets, we now boast eight very dynamic committees committed to generating content and creating initiatives to support the mission of the FTTH Council Europe and the development of our industry. Their unwavering commitment and spearheading of activities have been undoubtedly commendable.

Moreover, while our association is now a well-established entity for all European stakeholders and decision-makers, our global footprint remains robust, as evident from our active participation in the FTTH Council Global Alliance (FCGA) and our chairing of the annual summit in Prague earlier this year. The FCGA summit has been the opportunity for some of our Members to engage with decisionmakers from other regions of the world, enabling them to share knowledge, listen to different perspectives, and learn from the success stories of our US, South America, Africa, MENA, and APAC sister councils' representatives.
 

Celebrating 20 Years of Activities: A Milestone and a Reminder

2023 closes a chapter in the life of our association. As we approach our 20^th anniversary of activities, it is essential to acknowledge the achievements made since 2004. However, let's not forget that the FTTH Council Europe's offices in Brussels only got connected to fibre few weeks ago. This proves that, despite 60% of European households having FTTH access¹, countries like the UK, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Belgium still have significant ground to cover.

Plus, we shall all remember that fibre coverage is only the first step. In addition to laying down fibre infrastructure across all of Europe, our focus remains on ensuring effective adoption of fibre-based services, an issue becoming increasingly critical for our industry, which represented a strong focus in our 2023 program, culminated with the publication of a first-of-its-kind study by Plum Consulting on FTTH adoption drivers and hurdles in Europe. With only half of European subscribers leveraging FTTH connectivity, this underscores the enduring relevance of our mission, even 20 years after our inception.
 

Policy & Regulation: Shaping the Future

The past 12 months have been very busy for our Policy & Regulation Committee. The European Commission took many important initiatives (Gigabit Connectivity Recommendation, Gigabit Infrastructure Act, Consultation on the future of the electronic communications sector and its infrastructure) and we discussed all documents internally before sharing our position with policymakers. Overall, we welcome these initiatives, which contribute to an acceleration of FTTH rollout.

2024 will be a pivotal year in many respects. The Digital Networks Act initiative has been announced, and we will communicate our position during the drafting process, actively contributing to shaping the policy direction. We are set to enter a new legislative cycle with the European Parliament Elections in June, followed by the new European Commission towards the end of the year. The FTTH Council Europe will communicate early in 2024 about what we think should be further developed to accelerate the deployment and adoption of full-fibre networks. Preparing, planning, and implementing copper switch-off will be high on this agenda, as well as the recognition of the benefits in terms of sustainability brought by FTTH.

¹ Figures from our European FTTH/B Market Panorama 2023

Navigating FTTH Investments: Challenges and Opportunities

While figures from our recent FTTH Investment Tracker indicate a slowdown in private investments, it is definitely premature to label this a definitive downturn. The cautious investor sentiment underscores the need for comprehensive market insights and regulatory clarity, and the FTTH Council Europe is eager to contribute to a better understanding of European market dynamics through fact-based analysis and studies. As discussions around FTTH investments take center stage at the upcoming FTTH Conference, the council stands ready to guide stakeholders through market evolutions, technological advancements, and evolving regulatory landscapes.

Sustainability: A Core Pillar for the Industry

With sustainability climbing higher on the agenda, the FTTH Council Europe is at the forefront of driving meaningful change. Our Sustainability Committee's active engagement, coupled with the successful pilot of the Carbon Footprint project, sets the stage for an expanded initiative in 2024. Earlier in December, a delegation of FTTH Council Europe's representatives attended COP28 in Dubai as part of the Sustainability Committee's contribution to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s initiative Green Digital Action. This ambitious project aimed at bringing together the entire ICT sector to put forward tangible actions to reduce carbon emissions at the global level and resulted in a series of calls to action that the FTTH Council Europe would encourage its Members to sign as well, in the spirit of shared commitment for a greener planet.

As the run for achieving net-zero emissions is now an urge for investors and policymakers alike, collaborative efforts across committees, notably with Policy & Regulation and Investors, promise to further amplify our impact.
 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Evolving Narratives

The recent transition from Women in Fibre to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee underscores our commitment to fostering a more diverse, inclusive, and equal workforce for the FTTH industry. A diverse workplace, which ensures equal opportunities for everyone, enhances the overall success of a company. With this in mind, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee believes it is our responsibility to attract, develop, and retain the most exceptional professionals in the fibre industry by educating and challenging perceptions, leveraging progressive leaders, and sharing best practices.

Our Committees and Working Groups: Endless Sources of Information

If you browse the FTTH Council Europe's knowledge centre web page, you will realise that our Committees are not shy about creating valuable resources for the industry. Producing high-quality content is a substantial part of their mission, as evidenced by the many reports and studies published this year: a whitepaper addressing the role of IT in accelerating FTTH rollout by the Deployment & Operation Committee, the revamped IBE Guide and the new In-Home Connectivity Survey Report 2023 by the In-Home Broaband Excellence Committee, and the traditional market reports produced by the Market Intelligence Committee, among which the reknown FTTH/B European Market Panorama stands out. And with the official establishment of the new Open Access Working Group, committed to letting the voice of wholesale fibre stakeholders be heard, a new player is set to enter the strategy content game.

Looking Ahead: the FTTH Conference 2024 in Berlin

With over 3.000 delegates and over 100 Exhibitors and Partners, the FTTH Conference 2023 in Madrid has been a huge success. As we are now in full preparation mode for the next edition of the event, the upcoming FTTH Conference 2024 in Berlin promises to be a melting pot of insights, discussions, and collaborations. This platform will enable us to delve deeper into our initiatives, juxtaposing expert perspectives to chart a cohesive path forward. At the FTTH Council Europe, we look forward to the most successful edition yet, thanks to the contribution of our Members, Partners, and fibre stakeholders at large.