French operator Bouygues Telecom has submitted an application at a Paris court, seeking EUR78 million (USD78.3 million) in damages from Orange’s wholesale division over poor ADSL service, L’Informe writes. According to Bouygues, Orange is no longer properly maintaining its copper-based infrastructure, resulting in breakdowns and technical failures, which in addition to damaging Bouygues’ brand image, cause a ‘commercial harm’ to the operator. Bouygues Telecom currently leases more than two million ADSL lines from Orange for EUR9.65 per month, equivalent to a monthly payment of EUR20 million.
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, in February 2016 Orange informed the Authority of Regulation for Electronic Communications and Posts (Autorite de Regulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes, Arcep) of its intention to gradually phase out, and ultimately decommission, its copper-based network. The company is aiming to complete the network closure by 2030.