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France to invest â‚¬2 billion in high-speed internet

21 January 2010 11:46 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Aynur Veliyeva - APA-Economics. France will offer â‚¬2 billion to improve the nationâ€™s high-speed internet networks. The French government will provide a series of low-interest loans to telecoms companies, to encourage them to develop fibre-optic networks outside major cities, GTB reported.
As part of the proposed project, France Telecom, Vivendiâ€™s SFR and Iliad, which uses the Free brand, will be urged to invest together to build out local fibre-to-the-home networks. This will ensure that no single operator can monopolise an FTTH network in a particular area. Loans will be allotted on a project-by-project basis.
The French government is looking for high-speed internet connections in smaller cities and rural areas to increase productivity.
Separately, France Telecomâ€™s Spanish unit has secured a â‚¬200 million loan from the European Investment Bank to further develop its fixed-line and cellular services in Spain. The loan is in addition to the â‚¬300 million the bank gave the telecommunications company in 2009.