Overview
- Brussels' draft would require member states to file national migration plans by 2029 and aims for an EU‑wide DSL phase‑out by 2035, pending approval by the Parliament and Council.
- Germany’s Bundesnetzagentur proposes retiring copper locally only once at least 80% of premises have full fiber-to-the-home, not just building or curb fiber variants.
- The German framework conditions shutdowns on open access and proven competition on new networks, irrespective of which company built the fiber infrastructure.
- Safeguards include public notice about three years before a shutdown and a halt to copper-line marketing two years prior, with the consultation open until March 16, 2026.
- Industry reactions split: Vodafone welcomes clearer guardrails, while Breko and VATM warn the 80% threshold could slow migration; EU plans for an interconnection dispute mechanism prompt consumer-group concerns over possible higher costs.