EUROPEMEDIA-(C)2003 Van Dusseldorp & Partners - http://www.vandusseldorp.com/

Speaking at a press conference, France Telecom Chairman Thierry Breton announced a series of initiatives designed to make broadband internet available to all users in France who want the service.

All central offices, i.e., local telephone exchanges with over 1,000 lines will be equipped with DSL modems (DSLAMs) by the end of 2005. This network extension corresponds to France Telecom's initial coverage plans.

The number of ADSL units (DSLAMs) installed in local telephone exchanges will be multiplied by a factor of more than 2.5 (8,000 DSLAMs in 2005, compared with 3,000 today), and an additional 7,500 km of fiberoptic links will be installed.To carry out this programme, France Telecom will invest E600m over three years to deploy ADSL technology on the French telephone network.

The programme will be extended and adjusted to meet demand from all customers who want broadband internet service and who are connected to central offices with at least 1,000 lines. Whenever at least 100 customers in the same local service area request the service, France Telecom will make ADSL service available.

Potential user demand will be evaluated in liaison with municipal authorities, and followed by pre-reservation of connections by ISPs. When the number of confirmed requests reaches the threshold, France Telecom will make a commitment to municipalities, users and ISPs to deploy ADSL service within a timeframe determined after a technical assessment by France Telecom regional offices.

France Telecom will very shortly begin discussions with other operators and ISPs to determine the details of nationwide deployment for this programme. The timetable and terms of network build-out will be finalised in direct cooperation with local and regional authorities.In September 2003, France Telecom will also begin marketing three bi-directional satellite broadband internet solutions designed for consumers and businesses in areas with partial or no ADSL service coverage.

The first, Pack Surf Satellite, is a customised solution that lets users select their ISP while benefiting from superior quality broadband service. Four data rates will be proposed, offering from 128 kbps to 2048 kbps for downstream traffic (i.e. from the network to the user premises) and from 64 kbps to 512 kbps for upstream traffic (from user premises to the network).

The second, Oleane SAT, covers both internet access solutions and Intranets. Here too, customers have a choice of data rates, from 128 or 512 kbps to 2048 kbps downstream, and from 64 or 128 kbps to 512 kbps upstream.

The third, Wanadoo Pro Sat, will provide the same services as Wanadoo Pro ADSL offers, but without geographic restrictions. This service will provide data rates of 128 kbps downstream and 64 kbps upstream.

Starting in the summer of 2003 France Telecom will launch a series of trials of broadband solutions that integrate satellite broadband Internet and wi-fi networks.

These trials, first scheduled in Autrans (Isere region), La Cavalerie (Aveyron region), Moustier Sainte Marie (Alpes de Haute Provence), Neulise (Loire region) and Vernou en Sologne (Loire et Cher region), aim to optimise the technologies and commercial offers that are best adapted to bringing broadband service to municipalities and customers in areas that have only partial or no ADSL coverage.

France Telecom's regional offices will lead these trials, which will be pursued in close liaison with customers and municipal authorities and will receive support from France Telecom R&D teams. A detailed review of the results will be carried out before the end of the year. ((Distributed via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com))