It’s now easier to take out or change a fiber subscription! Since January 1, 2024, the famous PTO reference, essential for connection, is indicated on all invoices, in addition to the customer area.
Like many people who have already subscribed to optical fiber, you certainly know how difficult it is to obtain your PTO, this famous reference number written on the optical terminal socket – the small box fixed on the wall by the technician during from the initial connection of the premises to the fiber to connect the fiber box and access the Internet. However, it is essential to unambiguously identify the accommodation in the event of a change of operator or to take out a subscription after moving into accommodation that is already fiber-enabled. But it is not always easy to know what it is or to find this number. This is why, in order to facilitate procedures for users, theRegulatory Authority for Electronic Communications, Posts and Press Distribution (L’Arcep) had asked the operators, in November 2022, to include this reference on their customer area and their invoices. It is now done, as announced by the digital policeman on LinkedIn.
PTO reference: a number listed on invoices and the customer area
The PTO reference is a unique and durable number which makes it easy to identify a fiber optic network socket in operators’ information systems, and therefore to facilitate the definition of the “optical route” as well as the intervention of the technician. It is written on a label stuck to the socket and most often takes the following form: OO-XXXX-XXXX. For example, in the photo below, the PTO part number is FI-1605-5745. It is therefore quite difficult to access, especially if the socket is behind an imposing piece of furniture – a detail that we do not always think about when moving in. This is why, under the leadership of Arcep, Bouygues Telecom, Free, Orange and SFR all four committed to including their subscribers’ valuable PTO reference in their customer area from 1er July 2023, and on their invoices from 1er January 2024. No need to search for hours or bend over backwards to find the case, it will only take a few clicks to get it.
The telecoms policeman said he was very satisfied with this “advanced for subscribers, in order to make ordering a fiber subscription easier and more reliable in premises that have already been connected “. Especially since we already find this type of “point of delivery” (PDL) number on electricity and natural gas bills. This is why Arcep wanted it to be even for fiber optic networks up to the subscriber.