To guarantee access to very high speed for all French people, the Government has decided to extend subsidies for people without access to optical fiber. A scheme of up to 600 euros for the most deprived.

To guarantee access to very high speed for all French people, the Government has decided to extend subsidies for people without access to optical fiber. A scheme of up to 600 euros for the most deprived.

While the deployment of fiber is a crucial issue for France and operators are gradually abandoning the copper network – which is set to disappear – coverage in France remains quite uneven, which creates a digital divide. Despite all the efforts of operators, the deployment of fiber on French territory takes time and, worse, it turns out to be impossible in certain so-called white zones, where the weather and geography impose technical challenges and high costs to implement relay antennas. But French people who do not have access to fiber can turn to other technologies, such as satellite or 4G for fixed use when it is available.

Also, to honor its France Very High Speed ​​Plan aimed at providing fiber to 100% of French people by the end of 2025, the Government launched in 2019 the system for “Digital Cohesion of Territories”, which takes the form of a subsidy of 300 euros – up to 600 euros for low-income households – for the acquisition of the necessary equipment – ​​satellite dishes for example –, installation and activation of the service. Around 142,000 households in rural areas have already benefited. On December 17, 2023, Jean-Noël Barrot, the Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Affairs, announced in an interview with The gallery that this aid would be extended to a wider segment of the population.

Very high-speed aid: how to benefit from it?

To qualify for 600 euros of state aid, you must have one of the existing social minimums (RSA, AAH, ADA, ASS, etc.) and live in a rural area. If this is not the case, the bonus will be “only” 300 euros. A platform, the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT)allows any individual or company to check their eligibility for the system – it is accessible to this address. This assistance is directly deducted from the Internet bill and can be used to cover the cost of equipment and pay for the activation of the device. To benefit from Government assistance, simply contact one of the fourteen operators offering one of the three certified wireless offers and choose the solution that best suits you. There is no action to take!

The expansion of aid, which is estimated at 20 million euros by the executive, must include no less than 7 million French households which, to date, are not eligible for optical fiber. The main objective of this initiative is to guarantee that every citizen has access to very high speed, whether they live in a large city, in the suburbs or in a rural area. By expanding aid, the Government aims to bridge the digital divide between regions well served by optical fiber and those which are still without it. This “strong measure in the service of “territorial planning” will be “effective at the beginning of next year”.

Satellite Internet connection makes it possible to serve the most isolated areas, as it does not require the installation of terrestrial infrastructure. Note that Starlink is no longer the only player in the high-speed space connectivity market. Indeed, in November, Orange in turn launched its offer, at a price of €49.99 per month (see our article). Moreover, the historic operator recently reached an agreement with the Government to connect 1.5 million additional homes by 2025, despite its initial refusal.