The signing of a concessionary public service O&M agreement on 1 February between Essonne Numérique and Covage, in partnership with Orange and the Caisse des Dépôts, in the presence of Julien Denormandie, Secretary of State to the Minister of Territorial Cohesion, Valérie Pécresse, President of the Ile-de-France Regional Council, and François Durovray, President of the Essonne Departmental Council, reflects the sheer scale of this ambitious project and the
expected benefits for both the department and region.

Essonne Departmental Council has made superfast broadband coverage across its entire department a priority. In a bid to move forward with the Territorial Master Plan for Digital Development (SDTAN) stipulated in France’s Digital Inclusion Act and create a public initiative network alongside the deployment of private carriers, Essonne Departmental Council and seven public institutions of intercommunity cooperation have joined forces within Essonne Numérique. The aim is to roll out superfast broadband coverage across the Essonne department by 2020. The Departmental Council has already received funding from the government to build the network in keeping with the country’s superfast broadband initiative featured in the “Investing in the Future” Programme, as well as funding from the Île-de-France Regional Council.

“The full-fibre network is aimed at guaranteeing a truly consistent digital development policy across the entire department. When completed late 2020, it will enable every household, company and public site to access a conventional superfast broadband service while creating the network infrastructure required to support the digital uses of tomorrow’s world,” announced François Durovray, President of the Essonne Departmental Council.

Covage submitted the winning bid in Essonne Numérique’s invitation to tender for the technical and commercial operational of an optical fibre network spanning 124 towns across the Essonne department.

With the imminent prospect of two million households, businesses and public services being connected to the superfast network and already over 500,000 connections in service throughout France, Covage is the leading independent and neutral fibre infrastructure operator. Covage is already well established in the Essonne department with its Seine Essonne THD, Séquantic Télécom and Europ’Essonne networks, and the company is now consolidating its position with the aim of bringing consistent digital coverage to the entire department.

Orange was already active in the area as part of the public service concession from the Paris Saclay Greater Council. The Caisse des Dépôts is already present in Seine et Marne and the north of Essonne through its proprietary investments in superfast broadband and will therefore continue developing in Ile- de-France with this new project.

This new public initiative network will be operated by Essonne Numérique THD, in which Covage is the majority shareholder. This company will be responsible for the technical and commercial operation of the network as part of a 15-year public service O&M agreement. Orange, which will be responsible for operating and maintaining the passive FTTH network, and the Caisse des Dépôts will participate in the partnership.

The network will be open to all national and alternative carriers delivering services to residential and business customers.

“This project bears testament to Covage’s status as a leading player in superfast broadband in Ile-de- France, where we are active in six of the region’s departments. We are delighted that the Caisse des Dépôts and Orange have also signed up for this partnership with the aim of giving everyone access to optical fibre broadband across Essonne. This project represents a milestone, since the department’s authorities will be able to provide superfast broadband services to all inhabitants in keeping with the timeframe laid down by the government,” explains Pascal Rialland, Chairman of the Covage Board of Directors.

Key figures

  • 124 towns
  • 115,243 FTTH connections
  • 2,200 businesses and public sites
  • 220-km distribution network

About Essonne Numérique

As part of its ambition to implement and drive the department’s digital infrastructure, the Essonne Departmental Council and seven public institutions of intercommunity cooperation (124 towns) joined forces within an open public-private partnership created on 11 October 2016. Superfast broadband for everyone by 2020: such is the ambition driving the “Essonne Numérique” open public-private partnership. During its deployment, the full-fibre network will address the following objectives: develop greater social responsibility and boost the department’s economic appeal, encourage a wide range of services that are compatible with the needs of the different end users (individuals, businesses and local government), and allow the various telecommunications carriers to offer high- quality services at affordable prices.

For full information, visit essonnenumerique.com

About Covage

Covage, a superfast infrastructure carrier, has specialised in deploying and operating fibre networks since 2006 in partnership with local authorities and service operators.

Covage currently operates 43 public and private initiative networks (PINs) serving residential customers, businesses and public services interconnected through its national transmission network. Covage’s scope comprises two million connections, including 500,000 currently in service. Over 200 electronic communications carriers across France and abroad leverage Covage’s networks to deliver services to their own customers.

Covage’s development is fuelled by two powerful shareholders: Cube Infrastructure Fund (focusing on infrastructure investments and specialising in services to local authorities) and Partners Group (a global private markets investment manager that invests on behalf of its customers).
www.covage.com – Twitter @Covage_News

Press contacts

ESSONNE NUMERIQUE

Shauna Grew
Technical Consultant
+33 (0)6 77 01 89 92
sgrew@cd-essonne.fr

COVAGE

Nancy Boulanger
Communication Manager
nancy.boulanger@covage.com
+33 0(6) 26 48 34 46

Gaétane Roche
Press Officer
gaetane@oxygen-rp
+33 (0)1 41 11 35 46