III - A new field for experimentation: alternative infrastructures

The report on the development of regulations proposed the introduction of greater flexibility in the use of existing infrastructures. It also proposed conducting trials on the new technical and commercial possibilities that could be generated, particularly by the opening up of alternative infrastructures.

There are three areas where this flexibility should be sought: the use of private networks by operators who are already licensed, particularly mobile telephone operators; the sale of telephone service on cable networks; and the sale of teleports. The DGPT thus has begun work in each of these three areas.

3.1. Mobile communications network infrastructure

The first area to be developed, which is already quite active, consists of the infrastructure of public mobile telephone networks: this includes mobile phones (France Télécom, SFR, and Bouygues Télécom) and radio pagers (France Télécom, TDR, and Bouygues Télécom). The decision was taken in the autumn of 1993 to authorise mobile communications operators to set up their own infrastructures, which took concrete form in a modification of the schedule of terms and conditions during 1994.

Subsequent to this decision, the three French mobile phone operators reviewed the ways they had set up their network in order to take account of the new opportunities offered them in terms of use of microwave infrastructures, as well as infrastructures that were shared with operators of independent networks (SNCF, motorway management companies, etc.).

3.2. Microwave infrastructures

The operators assessed the totality of their needs in radio relay systems for the short and medium term for the different frequency ranges so that, as is authorised by their schedule of terms and conditions, they would be able to set up medium and high speed infrastructures both for medium and long distance lines and for a local loop.

It has already been possible to free frequencies in certain bandwidths, and the first channels have already been allocated in almost all the bandwidths (6 GHz, 13 GHz, 23 GHz, 38 GHz). The objective of sharing radio relay bands with other operators, first of all with mobile network operators, was communicated to France Télécom, which proceeded to release the first of these.

The initial studies on reorganisation emphasized that in order to develop a systematic, well organised and efficient approach, a vision of future goals was needed, backed up by a clear and balanced understanding of future needs, taking into account technological developments (the use of fibre optics) as well as rationalizing use (the fusion of networks to transmit audiovisual signals and telecommunications signals).

By optimizing frequency band use and improving procedures for readjustments in the spectrum, the efforts undertaken also helped guarantee that competition among the operators would be on a fair and more efficient basis.

3.3. Shared infrastructures

Simultaneously, the first requests for authorisation to set up shared infrastructures were submitted to the DGPT. In principle, these requests should be able to be met rapidly, so long as it is possible to establish a regulatory structure that maintains fair competition between players on the public mobile communications market. In practice, this is a matter of monitoring the rates and contractual conditions of services on offer, as well as the access conditions of third party mobile operators to the structures, civil engineering and the rest of the infrastructure that is built.

This possibility of sharing the infrastructures of the private networks of duly authorised operators (SNCF, motorway management companies, etc.) was thus introduced into the schedule of terms and conditions of the public mobile telephone operators (SFR, Bouygues Télécom). This will also be put into the schedule of terms and conditions of France Télécom's mobile communications operator as soon as it requests.

3.4. Telecommunications services on cable

In the case of cable networks, the matter of taking full advantage of the infrastructure is being debated with increasing intensity. The opportunities provided by the law on telecommunications regulations, which opened up the market for telecommunication services on cable (with the exception of the fixed public telephone system) have not been used much by the economic players. The only real exception has been the case of the Compagnie Générale de Vidéocommunications, which was granted an authorisation to hold a trial in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés of a local mobile telephone service based on DECT technology.

3.5. Teleports

The objective of teleports is to handle all of the telecommunications needs of entities located in a given geographic area by the use of a distribution network and by access to long-distance national and international networks. They are generally included as part of a property development project or a regional economic development project.

Outside of the advanced telecommunications zones, most of the main projects being developed today are organised by public redevelopment organisations (Etablissement Public d'Aménagement) and partly state-owned public limited companies (Sociétés Anonymes d'Economie Mixte). This reflects the key role of local government in regards to telecommunications structures in economic development policies.

Systematic exchanges and working groups have been set up with interested parties in order to best take into account their particular situation in the debate on regulatory changes before the year 1998 and during the transition period. At the same time, several of these (like Eurotéléport de Roubaix) have developed services in the sectors already opened up (VSAT, international telephone services, etc.) and in related sectors.

IV - European Union decisions on opening the market for services and infrastructures

Chapter II