In the presence of Yamina Riou, Regional Councillor, Emmanuel Capus and Stéphane Piednoir, Senators for Maine-et-Loire, Priscille Guillet, Mayor of Denée, Olivier Bourhis, Territorial Director of Banque des Territoires, EPCI Presidents, Cyril Gasc, Managing Director of TDF's Fibre Business Unit and Hugues Wallet, Managing Director of Anjou Fibre.
This event marks an important deployment milestone, as the fiber optic network will soon cover all rural areas of Anjou, representing 230,000 homes and businesses in 142 communes. Deployed by Anjou Fibre, a subsidiary of TDF, this network already provides 200,000 homes and businesses in Anjou with access to very high-speed broadband.
Growing interest in fiber optics
The first connections built by Anjou Fibre have been sold at a rate of 70%, demonstrating the growing popularity of fiber optics. With the development of communication tools and digital services, access to ultra-fast broadband has become an essential prerequisite for local authorities, individuals and businesses (education, healthcare, teleworking, etc.).
Like the commune of Denée, which for a long time benefited from very low ADSL speeds, Priscille Guillet, the commune's mayor, reminds us of the importance of the arrival of fiber on her territory,
"It was imperative to have fiber! We had very poor speeds, a very slow connection in the town center and a good part of the commune was in a white zone. Now we finally have a broadband connection that allows us to work properly from home and use all the new technologies. Today, for a commune, this is essential.
An industrial challenge well on the way to being met
After several years in which the rollout of fiber was limited to the densest areas of Maine-et-Loire, the Anjou Fibre project has accelerated the arrival of fiber in rural areas. Despite a shortage of manpower at the start of the project, followed by the health crisis of 2020, the sustained pace of deployment across the region means that 200,000 outlets can now be connected, representing a project completion rate of over 80%.
Towards the end of ADSL
With the acceleration of digital uses and the growing need for connectivity, ADSL technology is set to disappear in favor of fiber optics. The deployment of the Anjou Fibre network in rural areas of the region will enable us to better meet the challenges of this digital transformation.
Olivier Huart, Chairman and CEO of TDF said:
"200,000 fiber-ready homes in Anjou! This is a major milestone for TDF, which we have just achieved thanks to our day-to-day partnership with the Syndicat Mixte Anjou Numérique. We are now entering the home stretch of the rollout, and TDF's teams are determined to continue deploying a high-quality fiber network in all the region's less densely populated areas, so that ultra-high-speed broadband becomes a reality for residents and businesses alike. Bringing this connectivity to the region is an opportunity for TDF to contribute to its economic, social and industrial vitality.
Philippe Chalopin, President of the Syndicat Mixte Anjou Numérique declares:
"The "100% fibre en Anjou" project is entering its home stretch. By the end of 2023, Anjou Numérique and Anjou fibre - a subsidiary of TDF - will have taken up the ambitious challenge of bringing very high-speed broadband access to all homes and businesses in less densely populated areas, with the same level of performance as in urban areas. For many poorly served communities and businesses, the realization of this project represents real progress, synonymous with both economic and residential attractiveness".
For Florence Dabin, President of the Conseil départemental,
"Today, access to fiber is a necessity for residents, businesses and all those who provide services to the population. Deploying this technology has always been one of the department's priorities, as part of a balanced development of the region.
We made a point of reaffirming this in Anjou 2030, our roadmap which sets out our objectives and ambitions for the years ahead. We will also continue our efforts to promote digital learning and usage, particularly for those most remote from these tools, in order to reduce illiteracy through digital mediation initiatives.
