Free extends fibre reach with Axione deal

French service provider Iliad Telecom/Free has signed a deal with deliver services over public fibre operated by Axione across 18 of the country’s departments.

Part of the Bouygues Construction group, Axione is one of the major players in building and operating networks under the Plan France Très Haut Débit, a public initiative to extend fibre networks across the country, including less densely-populated regions.

The agreement will enable Free to offer its FTT service via the Réseaux d’Initiative Publique (RIP) operated by Axione, which operates networks the Hauts de France, Centre, Nouvelle Aquitaine, PACA, Auvergne Rhône Alpes and Pays de la Loire regions.
Free said that the deal constituted a new stage in its strategy of investing in fibre. It will commercialise its FTTH offering over the next few quarters as networks are built out covering two million premises, mostly in less densely-populated parts of the country.

“With this first agreement, Free demonstrates its support for the RIP model and its commitment in making available its FTTH offerings in the less densely-populated zones where demand is strong,” said Maxime Lombardini, CEO of Iliad.