Europe needs a ‘bold strategy’ to encourage private investment in...

it at risk from the economic crisis, ETNO said. Fifty-eight percent of fiber networks are deployed by municipalities and power utility companies, while well-established industry players are balking at the large-scale investment needed for next-generation access networks, it said. Consumer uptake of high-speed connections is also slow, adding to investor uncertainty, it said. ETNO wants regulators to target intervention to competition bottlenecks in specific places, offer risk-sharing options to network builders and competitors seeking access and allow operators pricing flexibility. Meanwhile, French telecommunications regulator ARCEP said buildout of high-speed digital networks is a “major challenge” for his country. Momentum in the broadband market and the willingness of several operators to invest in fiber-to-the-home local loops is creating a unique environment in Europe that is particularly favorable to nationwide ultra-broadband rollouts, ARCEP said. Oversight of ultra-fast broadband requires regulation of France Telecom’s ducts and the last segment of the fiber network, it said. To jumpstart a coordinated approach, investments are needed quickly in very densely populated areas, it said. The regulator proposed making an exception to national law to allow network shared-access points on private property in buildings connected to “visitable sewers” and those with 12 or more units. To ensure a technologically neutral approach, ARCEP suggested allowing an operator to ask building operators to install additional dedicated fiber on its behalf for each unit in exchange for partial financing, and giving operators the option of having cross-connection equipment installed on their behalf at the shared access point. Comments are due July 22 - thd@arcep.fr. The decision is expected to take effect in the fall, ARCEP said.