SFR forced to review its in fiber optics – Le Figaro

The telecom operator should be required to modify its advertising campaigns on the fiber to comply with the opinion of the telecoms authority.

the telecom operators, Orange and SFR in the lead, plastered all over commercials touting the fiber. SFR might be forced to change his posters at the risk of plunging the unsuspecting consumer into perplexity. The whole debate is about the term “optical fiber”, which means, according to telecoms authority (ARCEP), the subscriber is connected to the fiber to his home, not at the cable coaxial. A notice published Friday in the Official Journal, now requires that distinction.

The matter is a subject of tension for months between telecom operators. On the one hand, the pro-fibers and Orange Free. On the other, SFR defending the concept of “fixed high-speed broadband,” regardless of the technology used to cover the last few meters between the subscriber and the network. But still speaks of “fiber” in its communication campaigns.

The opposition is like a panel. The arguments of Orange and Free are simple: the fiber provides data rates up to 1, see 1.2 Gb / s. Above all, these flows are called symmetric. It takes about the same time to download a movie to send it. What at the time of telework and shared-for-all on social networks, becomes a shock argument. The cable does not take this promise and offers only to 200Mb / s upstream speed, still seven times more than most ADSL connections. “Archi wrong!” Scream the troops at SFR, which have constantly put forward the comparable qualities of fiber and cable. And because the operator sells cable network Numericable, who bought in 2015.

To comply with the opinion of ARCEP published on Friday, SFR should be obliged to mention this difference on these advertisements. “We will study all possible remedies in France and Brussels,” immediately informed a spokesman of the group to the Le Figaro . The communication challenge is important. According to its criteria, SFR is proud to have 8 million fiber taken in France to date. However, ARCEP has only 1.4 million for all operators!

Not enough to disrupt SFR, which asserts tirelessly be “unquestionably the first actor of the fiber in France, far ahead its main competition (note, Orange). We intend to maintain this lead and dispose of 22 million homes passed in 2022. We contribute more than any other to the very high level flow France. “