All connectivity players recognize this: covering 100% of French homes with fiber will not be possible in absolute terms – or even not possible at all. If the construction site of the France THD plan – which aims to guarantee very high speed for all by 2022, of which at least 80% via fiber – has made headway and that the actors responsible for the deployment of fiber have already connected 28 .3 million French locals (i.e. 67% of the total locals), the holes in the racket are still numerous… and should continue to be so for a long time.
Especially since the start of the decommissioning of the copper network – which still provides connectivity for a certain number of territories – should lead to a particularly handicapping “scissor effect” for many households still deprived of access to fiber.
What lead the authorities to bet on alternative solutions for access to very high speed. To avoid a worsening of the digital divide between homes in areas covered by fiber and others, the government has just announced the strengthening of its “Digital cohesion of territories” counter in order to help users located in white areas to access at very high speed via wireless technology, such as satellite internet, fixed 4G or 5G or THD Radio.
Increase in aid
The latter should therefore see the subsidy allowing them to cover part of the cost of access to these solutions increase from 150 euros to 300 euros on the 1er next April. The aid should go up to 600 euros subject to means testing.
“Equal access to digital is the gateway, the basis on which rests all the digital policies that we carry out in terms of innovation, technological development, etc. Without access to digital, whether in terms of skills or uses, our country will not be able to realize its full digital potential”, estimated the Secretary of State for Digital Cédric O when announcing these new measures. The strengthening of the counter set up by the executive was part of the demands made by the associations of representatives of local authorities.
These called at the end of January for “a paradigm shift, to move from one-off treatment to sustainable solidarity by 2022 via the rapid establishment of a national equalization fund for the digital development of France”. It remains to be seen whether this request will be heard by the government.