By Catherine Sbeglia Nin

Vodafone has partnered with Amsterdam-based Altice to launch a 7-billion-euro (US$6.8 billion) fiber broadband network in Germany. Each company will own 50 per cent of the joint venture, which they are calling FibreCo.

According to Vodafone, the new network will make fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) available to 7 million German homes. Approximately 80 per cent of the rollout will be centered around large housing associations in its existing hybrid fiber cable network footprint that have expressed interest in FTTH upgrades, the company added. The remaining 20 per cent of the rollout, continued the company, will cover neighboring homes that lie outside of Vodafone’s current footprint.

“This partnership builds on Vodafone’s significant next generation network with Altice’s industrial expertise and proven Fibre-to-the-Home construction capabilities enabling us to bring gigabit connectivity to even more customers in Germany,” commented Vodafone Group Chief Executive Nick. “This significant infrastructure investment supports the country’s social, economic and digital development and the broadband ambitions of the German government as part of Europe’s Digital Decade targets.”

Further, in an effort to “exploit the full potential of the fiber network,” FibreCo will also offer wholesale access to all telecommunications service providers in Germany.

Altice subsidiary Geodesia will be contracted for the construction of the network, while Vodafone Germany is responsible for marketing the fiber service to customers.

“Altice’s existing presence in Germany through Geodesia, its unique track record in operating over 45 million homes with the latest very high-speed fibre networks across Europe and the US, together with Vodafone’s competitive position as anchor tenant, will help us establish one of the largest FTTH ventures in Europe,” said co-CEO of Altice, David Drahi. “We have pioneered fibre joint ventures in France and Portugal, and are thus thrilled to be able to replicate such a feat in Germany with such a partner.”