Although the report praises operators in Portugal, Spain, and Sweden, who have mostly abandoned their copper networks, it also reveals that other member states, such as Germany, Greece, and the Czech Republic, still rely heavily on aging copper infrastructure.

“We believe that fiber networks are fundamental to Europe’s digital transformation,” said Roshene McCool, President of the FTTH Council Europe. “Phasing out copper networks in favor of fiber infrastructure will reduce energy consumption and overall operating costs, making a significant contribution to achieving the EU’s Digital Decade goals,” McCool added.

The monitoring and reporting will become a crucial database for policymakers, regulators, operators, and investors when addressing the political and market implications of the copper-to-fiber transition. It also highlights that only 12 countries have traditional operators with a plan for a complete copper switch-off. In 8 of these 12 countries, the plans are public, while in others (for example, Portugal) they are confidential.

“As European institutions shape their political agenda for the 2024-2029 cycle, this new and comprehensive analysis will support the digital transformation of the European economy and help develop an efficient and sustainable high-performance connectivity ecosystem,” said Vincent Garnier, Director General of the FTTH Council Europe.

Following a presentation by the FTTH Council Europe on the results of copper disconnection, a panel discussion consisting of Kamila Kloc (European Commission), Konstantenos Masselos (Hellenic Commission for Telecommunication and Posts), Timm Degenhardt (Omers Infrastructure), Francesco Nonno (Open Fiber Spa) and Pascal Rogard (Orange Group) examined the broader political, economic and technical implications of copper disconnection, especially in the context of recent policy initiatives in Europe aimed at fostering sustainable infrastructure.

By providing regular updates, the copper switch-off tracking will offer a current snapshot of the progress made by countries in their transition from copper to fiber. The FTTH Council Europe looks forward to closely monitoring this progress to contribute to a competitive future European fiber market.