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Figeac fibre optic delay: a pole too tall, a street too narrow

Two homes in Figeac, France, have waited almost two years for fibre. Ladders can't reach the pole and a lift platform can't fit down the street.

A tall utility pole carrying telephone cables and street lighting on a narrow residential street in a small French town.
Image: genbeta.com
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Two households on rue de la Briqueterie in Figeac, in France's Lot region, have been waiting almost two years for fibre optic internet. The problem is physical: the pole technicians need to reach is too tall for their ladders, and the street is too narrow for a lift platform.

Olivier Pons, one of the residents affected, says there have been almost ten technician visits without success. He and his neighbours have tried to get help from the operators Free and Orange. The pole carries telephone cables and street lighting, and so far nobody has found a way to get up to it.

His neighbour had another Orange appointment planned for this month. If that fails, the case would go to the infrastructure operator, Alliance Très Haut Débit, which would look at other options, such as works or running the cable along a building facade. That depends on a study and the right permits, and the new appointment came with no guarantee of fibre.

Why does the timing matter?

The wait overlaps with a deadline. On 16 July 2026 the Figeac town hall announced that the local copper network, which carries ADSL and traditional landline service, will be shut down on 31 January 2027. That affects households with only a landline, as well as businesses, public bodies and associations. Anyone already fully on fibre is not affected. Everyone else is advised to contact an operator and start the migration before the switch-off.

What is the difference between a commercial and a technical closure?

France's regulator Arcep draws a line between the two. A commercial closure means no new copper subscriptions can be opened, though existing ones stay valid. A technical closure switches the network off, and the services running on it end.

The town hall says residents can choose fibre or alternatives such as 4G, 5G or satellite. It also notes that a landline can be kept without an internet plan, through a fibre offer. For the two homes on rue de la Briqueterie, the catch is that fibre is exactly what they can't get yet.

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Tags:fibre opticfigeacfranceorangefreecopper network

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