Mobile Internet Outage Hits 10 French Towns Amid ‘Tower Co’ War
Amid a dispute with its competitors, Valocîme has cut off mobile internet access in ten French towns, disrupting both users and national coverage goals.
The ‘Pylon War’ Shakes Up the French Telecom Sector
Since 2018, the French mobile telecommunications sector has been rocked by a fierce battle between operators and infrastructure managers. In this turbulent environment, Valocîme, a Tower Company with controversial practices, is striving to assert its dominance over strategic ground.
Most operators lease their infrastructure from providers, a model that leads to increased rents and greater dependency due to frequent buy-outs of pylons by TowerCos. Four major companies (Cellnex, ATC, TDF, Totem) now control 90% of the 60,000 mobile sites in France.
Valocîme, a Game-Changer at the Heart of Tensions
According to Euractive on December 11, Valocîme shocked the industry by cutting power to ten telecom pylons, thereby crippling telecommunication services in ten French towns. The company claims this drastic action was due to a prolonged dispute with telecom operators over pylon exploitation rights.
Founded just seven years ago, Valocîme has carved out a niche by acquiring lease rights for 2,700 sites from other TowerCos. For about 400 of these sites, Valocîme has attempted to buy the infrastructure, facing resistance from traditional managers. This has sparked a flurry of litigation, with 250 complaints filed by the company.
This legal onslaught puts the French government in a tough spot, jeopardizing its commitment to fully cover the nation with mobile 5G internet by 2030.
Operators Counter with Infrastructure Sharing
In response to escalating tensions, telecom operators are now focusing on “infrastructure sharing.” This strategic move refers to the sharing of operational and maintenance costs while optimizing network coverage.
A Battle for the Future of Telecommunication
The ‘pylon war’ starkly highlights the critical stakes in the telecommunications sector globally, in an increasingly digital economy. Faced with conflict situations, regulatory authorities must enhance oversight and promote collaborative solutions to ensure universal mobile coverage while maintaining national digital sovereignty and a sustainable economic model for all.