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New event from the FTTH Council Europe to help bolster FTTH adoption in South-Eastern Europe
FAQs
What is the FTTH Congress Balkans?
The first ever FTTH Congress Balkans was held in the picturesque Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel on the 29th and 30th October 2024, marking a milestone event for FTTH advancements in the region. Over two days, representatives from North Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Greece, and wider European markets came together to exchange insights, incentivise investments, advance regulatory progression, and ultimately, increase FTTH adoption. The event was a resounding success, fostering collaboration that will undoubtedly fuel progress in the near future. We look forward to seeing the ongoing developments coming out of our hugely successful event!
Why the Balkans?
The South-Eastern European region represents an important FTTH investment and rollout opportunity with immense potential to connect millions of homes. Currently, 3,827,000 houses are still to be passed, with take-up and penetration rates varying between Balkan countries. According to our European FTTH/B Market Panorama 2024, Bulgaria has a huge 91.6% coverage rate, while countries like Greece are working hard to increase their current rate of 30.8%, indicating a fragmented and diversified market. As the demand for faster, more reliable connections grows, the region is poised for transformational growth in digital infrastructure, making our event an ideal opportunity to explore the emerging trends driving fibre implementation.
What were the aims of the event?
Throughout the Congress, the FTTH Council Europe brought its expertise and experience as an event organiser to support the fibre industry in a region that deserves greater attention. By bringing an event of this magnitude to the Balkans, we wanted to enhance the regional awareness of FTTH by highlighting the social and economic benefits. Across two engaging days, we focused on the drivers of FTTH deployment across South-Eastern Europe and presented opportunities for regional stakeholders to meet decision-makers to better understand the requirements for optimal fibre connectivity. Increasing FTTH adoption and accessibility through penetration rates was a priority. This unique platform allowed participants to gain a deeper understanding of exactly what is needed to achieve optimal fibre connectivity in the region.
What were the themes of the Congress?
The EU accession process for several countries, as well as support programs like the Western Balkans Investment Framework and digital infrastructure were essential topics of discussion during the two-day event. The event kicked off with a compelling keynote from FTTH Council Europe President, Roshene McCool, summarising the FTTH Council Europe mandate and setting the tone for a day of learning and networking. Keynote sessions and workshops from leading organisations touched on other key elements of the Congress including technology, public policies and regulations, and operational challenges. The second day focused on specific Balkan countries, with C-suite level individuals grouping together to delve into the finer details of FTTH deployment in each country.
Highlights from the agenda can be found in the attached press release. Further details and the full agenda can be found on the FTTH Congress Balkans website.
Who was in attendance?
The Congress attracted over 400 attendees, many of whom were influential stakeholders not only from the Balkans, but the rest of Europe, who viewed the Balkans as a prime investment area for fibre prosperity. There was a significant senior level representation from the region’s telecoms operators, national regulators, policymakers and vendors who convened to network and strategise best approaches to drive further fruition of the Balkan fibre market.
We have provided a list of keynote speakers, panellists and participants within this pack.
Quotes from FTTH Council Europe regarding the event:
‘The FTTH Congress Balkans not only complemented our annual FTTH Conference but represented the first time we have focused solely on the South-Eastern Europe region. As a market that is ripe for collaboration and growth, we look forward to seeing the developments in fibre connectivity originating from our Congress, solidifying the region’s digital future.’ - FTTH Council Europe President, Roshene McCool
‘We are delighted with how the inaugural FTTH Congress Balkans progressed, which encompassed the many market dynamics we observe in the region, as well as the European perspective. The Balkans represents a fantastic opportunity for FTTH investment and rollouts, and we hope our event provided the perfect forum to foster greater collaboration and to learn more about the latest FTTH products and services available to countries within the region’ - FTTH Council Europe Director General, Vincent Garnier.
