You light up my life

Like I said, I sense that the buzz we got from VoIP three years ago (just for the record, I didn't inhale) is being revived on fiber this year. A couple of Double Platinum mega-uber value readers have pointed me towards recent developments in Germany and France which further make the case.

First, the local utility in the small town of Schwerte in Nordrhein-Westfalen is deploying an FTTH network. If the barbaric online translation I have read is even close to accurate, it appears that an upcoming program of sewer system inspections and revamps offers the opportunity to push fiber into every home. It's an unpleasant thought, but that's exactly the advantage that the utilities will have - common construction/maintenance functions and rights of way (let's go back underground in Vienna and see - in some cases they use robots.)

Secondly, a couple of weeks back, Parisian VDSL player Erenis raised EUR22.5m to expand its coverage. Salient points: fiber coverage and depth improves, and projects are attracting capital.