Vodafone, Orange partner for FTTH in Spain

Vodafone Spain and Orange have agreed to co-invest in deploying fiber to the home (FTTH) networks in Spain. The resulting fiber-optic networks will reach 6 million premises in 50 cities by September 2017 at a price of €1 billion, the carriers assert.

Vodafone and Orange will each deploy fiber to the premises (FTTP) infrastructure in different, complementary areas. Each company will own the fiber it deploys, but the networks will have the same technical specifications to enable them to operate as a single network, to which both partners will have full access. The companies also will install their own in-building fiber, to which the other is also guaranteed access.

Vodafone and Orange expect to begin offering commercial services on the initial parts of the network in January 2014. They expect to reach 800,000 households and workplaces by March 2014, 3 million households and workplaces by September 2015, and 6 million households and workplaces by 2017. This equates to a residential penetration level of around 40%.

The carriers say they are open to adding other co-investors. Meanwhile, they also say they will collaborate with regulators to ensure sharing of vertical infrastructure at prices based on actual cost, effective access to Telefónica’s ducts, and the timely acquisition of all necessary permits.

“I am delighted to announce our plans to work with Orange to deploy fiber networks across Spain,” said Vodafone Chief Executive for the Southern Europe Region Paolo Bertoluzzo. “This agreement demonstrates Vodafone’s commitment to provide high-speed unified communications services to our customers coupled with our willingness to invest when there are positive returns.”

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