Starting January 31, 2024, residents in select French municipalities will lose the ability to subscribe to Internet services using the copper network, marking a shift to fiber optics. This transition will initially impact 210,000 premises across 162 areas, with plans to phase out copper connections by 2030. As ADSL and other copper-dependent technologies are discontinued, users will need to explore alternatives like fiber optics, 5G, and satellite services. Orange is leading this change, having already tested fiber transitions in several municipalities.
Transitioning to Fiber Optics: The End of Copper Internet Subscriptions
Starting January 31, 2024, residents in select French municipalities will no longer be able to subscribe to Internet services reliant on the outdated copper network. This date marks a significant transition as the country moves away from the old telephone network towards modern fiber optic infrastructure.
Laure de La Raudière, the president of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications, emphasized this monumental shift during her address on January 23, referring to it as a “change of era.” She highlighted fiber optics as the “new standard” for Internet access, paving the way for enhanced connectivity.
Understanding the Impact of Network Closures
The initial phase of this transition will affect 210,000 premises across 162 municipalities in France, beginning with commercial closures. A year later, these areas will experience technical closures, with additional municipalities scheduled for similar transitions in the following years.
To determine whether your area will be impacted by the copper network closure, the government has launched a dedicated website allowing residents to search by postal code. Some locations already have specific closure dates, while others are still pending. The overarching goal is to complete this extensive project by 2030.
With the discontinuation of ADSL, residents will need to look towards alternative Internet options, including fiber optics, 5G, and satellite Internet services. This shift not only affects ADSL but also other technologies previously reliant on the copper network, such as VDSL, SDSL, fixed telephony, fax, and even Minitel services.
The gradual phase-out of the copper network reflects the changing technological landscape. In early 2022, it was reported that fiber optic connections had doubled the number of ADSL connections in France for the first time. As of September 2023, fiber subscriptions accounted for nearly two-thirds (64%) of all high and very high-speed Internet connections.
Orange, the historical telecommunications operator, has been proactively working towards the cessation of ADSL services. By the end of 2023, the company outlined its strategy for the gradual withdrawal of the copper network. As the owner of this infrastructure, Orange is obligated to provide universal electronic communication services.
Prior to the official closures, Orange conducted pilot tests beginning in March 2021 in Lévis-Saint-Nom, which had already transitioned to fiber in 2016. Following this, six additional municipalities participated in a second round of testing, successfully concluding in March 2023.
In mid-2022, Orange submitted a comprehensive plan to the telecom watchdog, detailing a timeline for phasing out the copper network. Each year leading up to 2030, more municipalities across France will be disconnected from this aging infrastructure, ultimately impacting a total of 42 million premises.