The fiber optic network operated by TDF, via its subsidiary Yvelines Fibre, in rural areas of the Yvelines region, is now open for business. Residents of Evecquemont, Gaillont-sur-Montcient and Tessancourt-sur-Aubette can now take out a subscription to benefit from fiber optics, representing a total of 1,200 households.
Following on from the roll-out work in the department's most rural towns, this milestone is the culmination of the project to reduce the digital divide in Yvelines, initiated by the Yvelines Numérique open joint venture. Eventually, 90,000 homes and businesses in 150 communes will be connected to fiber optics.
The opening of the network is organized according to a schedule defined with Yvelines Numérique. Communes with the poorest ADSL connection, or no connection at all, have been given priority for network rollout. Currently, 70% of communes covered by the new Yvelines Fibre network have very poor ADSL speeds.
Each month, new communes will become eligible. Over the next two months, households in more than thirty communes will also be able to subscribe.
Public meetings and trade forums are organized in the communes to inform the population. Dates can be found at www.yvelinesfibre.fr.
The TDF network is open to all ISPs
Five Internet service providers are now offering their services on TDF's fiber optic network, particularly in the Yvelines region. These nationwide operators, present on most of France's public-initiative networks (RIP), offer triple/quadruple-play Internet access and a wide range of telecoms services for both private and business customers.
TDF, via its subsidiary Yvelines Fibre, is making its fiber optic network available to all operators on the market, under equivalent offering conditions, as approved by Arcep (Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques et des postes). In the coming months, new operators are expected to market their services on the Yvelines Fibre network.
Helping to reduce the digital divide between regions
The rollout of fiber will provide a faster, more reliable Internet connection, with speeds of up to one Gigabit per second.
The arrival of fiber in rural areas is designed to boost the region's economic attractiveness and contribute to the development of new activities in the fields of health, education, the environment and more.
The deployment, operation and marketing of the FTTH network in sparsely populated areas has been entrusted to Yvelines Fibre, a 100% subsidiary of TDF, following the Appel à Manifestation d'Engagement d'Investir (AMEI) launched in 2017 by the Département. With a total cost of 120 million euros entirely financed by Yvelines Fibre, the fiber optic network deployed in rural Yvelines communes is part of the department's digital development policy.
The project aims to connect all homes and businesses to ultra-high-speed broadband by 2020.
Cyril Gasc, Managing Director of TDF's Fibre division, said:
"After being entrusted with the deployment, operation and marketing of the fiber network in rural areas of Yvelines, we are proud to open the first communes to very high-speed broadband. In order to reduce the digital divide, we have prioritized the communes with the poorest ADSL speeds. We're delighted that we'll soon be able to make online services available to everyone, thanks to the arrival of fiber on TDF's networks.