REGULATION://Extending fiber deeper into the network challenges LLU

Deutsche Telekom is switching back to ADSL2+, apparently to have wider coverage for IPTV (T-Home). VDSL roll-out is haulted and stays at 10 cities (original target: 50).

Big changes are ahead in the European telecom sector. DT cites regulatory uncertainty for haulting the VDSL deployments.

Upgrades to ADSL2+ left the competitive landscape, based on LLU, unchanged, but VDSL and FTTH have created different environments. I believe Europe will support the survival of 'inter-copper' competition, but now it has to come up with an alternative to LLU. This is a hot topic in Germany, but even more so in the Netherlands, where OPTA has to come up with a fully-fledged alternative to LLU. Watch out for this to happen in Q2. OPTA will host an analyst meeting in The Hague next Friday (Jan 19).

So now operators have a choice:

• ADSL2+, with fiber not extending beyond the exchange. This is the case at BT, which sees no business case for FTTN/FTTC, let alone FTTH. This makes the UK an attractive market for LLU-based competition.
• FTTN + VDSL: KPN, Belgacom, DT (now haulted), TI. This renders LLU-based competition quite uncertain at the moment. Will regulaors find a fully-fledged alternative, and/or will altnets be prepared to step up their investment program to keep track with the incumbent?
• FTTH: FT (at least partly, further decisions in 2008). FT is responding to both Iliad and neuf cegetel (and Verizon), by making the network future-proof.
• A mixture of all: Most notably at Swisscom and Telefonica, but I suppose in many other countries too. FTTH is probably pretty common now for new builds.