This week we have participated in a new edition of the FTTH Conference 2025
the benchmark event for the fiber optic and telecommunications sector. Once again this year, the conference brought together the main players in the sector to discuss the future of connectivity and the progress towards the Digital Agenda 2030 and the Gigabit Society.
The numbers of this edition have been impressive: more than 3,000 attendees, 150 speakers and a hundred sponsors and partners, consolidating the relevance of this meeting for the industry.
One of the key moments of the event was the presentation of the FTTH Council Europe’s annual report, which analyzes the adoption of fiber throughout the region. We highlight some significant data:
Coverage in Europe (EU39): 75%. While some countries, such as Spain, are approaching 90%, others are in early stages of development.
Adoption rate: 53%. Key metric for the profitability of fiber investments.
More than 430 initiatives in EuropeBoth public and private, driving the growth of the sector.
55% of deployments are led by alternative operators.We at Asteo are proud to be part of this category.
Investment needed for full fiber coverage in the EUEstimated at 100 billion euros.
90% coverage challengeReaching this threshold implies new challenges in infrastructure expansion.
The challenges of FTTH beyond 90% coverage
As FTTH coverage exceeds 90%, deployments in rural and hard-to-reach areas pose new challenges. From planning and permit management to cost optimization, bridging the digital divide requires innovative and efficient strategies.
In a key debate at the FTTH Conference 2025, our CEO, Pedro Abad, shared his vision with Johanna Reinkemeier (LBBW), Amaury de Gromard (Swisscom), Gary Bolton (Fiber Broadband Association) and Patrick Neary, moderated by Ian Adkins (Analysys Mason).
Fiber in rural areas
Our team was also represented at the table “Fiber Roll Out in Mountain Regions” by Manuel Garnelo Pereira, CTO of Asteo Red Neutra. In his speech, he highlighted the importance of fiber in rural development and the fundamental role of neutral operators in this transformation.
Garnelo participated together with Andreas Waber (Swiss Fibre Net AG), Boris Ilovar (Speed Connect), Christian Schläpfer (Swiss FibreCo AG), Ivan Botta (Isiline) and Innocenzo Genna (Isiline), discussing the challenges of connectivity in mountainous regions.
