Released on = June 12, 2007, 4:15 am

Press Release Author = Bharat Book Bureau

Industry = Financial

Press Release Summary = This report covers France and Switzerland, both key telecom
markets in the forefront of emerging technologies and deployments, and closely
involved with developing telecom markets in Eastern Europe.

Press Release Body = This report covers France and Switzerland, both key telecom
markets in the forefront of emerging technologies and deployments, and closely
involved with developing telecom markets in Eastern Europe. Trends and developments
in telecommunications, mobile, Internet, broadband, digital TV and converging media
including VoIP, VoD and IPTV developments. Subjects include:

Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;
Facts, figures and statistics;
Industry and regulatory issues;
Research, Marketing, Benchmarking;
Major Players, Revenues, Subscribers, Prepaid;
VoIP, IPTV, VoD, digital TV and DTTV;
Converged media.
Executive Summary

BuddeComm's latest France and Switzerland Annual Publication, '2006/2007 Telecoms,
Mobile and Broadband in France and Switzerland', profiles two key European markets
in the forefront of telecoms development in the region. France has one of Europe's
largest telecom markets, and has emerged as a leader in fibre deployment. The
country also has a progressive incumbent operator forging ahead with its NeXT
strategy to upgrade its infrastructure to an all-IP network, and so keep pace with
similar moves in neighbouring Germany, the UK and The Netherlands. Switzerland's
smaller telecom market has excellent broadband and mobile services despite
topographical challenges, and in 2007 becomes the first country in Europe to make
broadband access a universal service.

This report presents a concise overview of sector liberalisation and privatisation,
the development of product offerings for both mobile and broadband, essential
operator statistics highlighting sector development, regulatory changes and their
implications, and the emergence of convergence and triple play services in these two
central and important markets.

Key Highlights
France is Europe's leading market for VoIP and IPTV services, both of which are
hugely popular. Three main service providers - neuf Cegetel, France Telecom and Free
(Iliad) - compete for customers. VoIP traffic accounted for 17% of all voice traffic
by mid-2006, and was forecasted to reach about a third of all traffic by the end of
2007, placing a major strain on France Telecom's voice revenue. In addition,
VoIP-only providers may face the wall in coming years as the technology becomes a
minor component of content-driven triple and quad play offerings.
Digital TV take-up was boosted in 2006 with the launch of numerous channels and a
geographic widening of the service's reach. The merger of Vivendi Universal with
Canal+ and TPS effectively presented Vivendi with control of the French digital
pay-TV market. Seven of the nine new-launch DTTV channels were reprimanded in
September 2006 over their performance and broadcasting quotas, prompting further
diligence from the broadcasting regulator to oversee the sector in 2007 and coming
years.
France's mobile penetration rate remains substantially lower than the EU15 average,
but thus provides considerable room for further growth in 2007. The MVNO market
share is likely to remain relatively small in coming years, perhaps gaining 17% of
the market by 2010, compared to 27% in neighbouring Germany. Threats to the
dominance of the main network providers exist from a growing number of low-tariff
providers and third-party resellers. Despite their small market share, these
operators rapidly increased their subscriber base in 2006 and were certain to
continue this growth as the government remains determined to develop the sector as
an effective competing force.
Growth in the Swiss mobile market slowed during 2006, with the market approaching
saturation, yet the mobile data sector promises to considerable progress in 2007
given that almost half of Swiss households have UMTS/GPRS phones. Data applications
such as MMS have become increasingly popular, while data technologies such as HSDPA
have been widely promoted.
Growth in the Swiss broadband market continued strongly in 2006, while new
legislation to make the provision of broadband a Universal Service Obligation in
early 2007 will dramatically increase broadband availability to outlying rural
areas.
France remains a leader in high speed broadband developments, with ADSL2+ and VDSL2
roll-outs gaining momentum, and thus stimulating demand for triple play services.
The fibre sector has become one of the most advanced in Europe, supported by
innovative municipal projects in Paris and other major towns, and expecting to
deliver fibre to at least 80% of all buildings by 2010. The provider Free launched
an ambitious regional fibre deployment using an open network strategy, promising
great opportunities for competing operators and content providers in coming years,
which will have access to some ten million people.
Regulatory controls have continued to advance broadband in France. By mid-2006 local
loop unbundling was available to around 54% of installed lines, making France the
second largest ADSL market in Europe. Recent growth has come mainly from fully
unbundled lines, and the trend is likely to continue into 2007, thus creating
further difficulties for France Telecom as the company haemorrhages customers to
streamlined and cheaper competitors.

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