The Texto SMS Gratuit team
21 July 2026 · 5 min read
On 7 July 2026, Arcep published its audit report on Orange's Civil Engineering Information Systems for the Optical Local Loop (SI GC BLO in French). Dated 7 July 2026, the document is the result of an audit mission launched to verify a sensitive point: as the dominant FttH infrastructure operator, does Orange treat its own branch (Orange OI FttH) and its concession subsidiaries (Orange Concessions) on the same terms as third-party operators (SFR, Free, Bouygues Telecom, alternative ISPs) when they order fibre on the public network? The overall answer is reassuring — only one discrepancy identified, already fixed in January 2026 — but the details are worth a closer look.
Photo: Unsplash — every pole or duct order now goes through the audited information system.
Background: what is iBLO, and why is it strategic?
To understand the stakes, we need to come back to the optical local loop (BLO): this is the physical infrastructure — ducts, poles, manholes, draw chambers — that brings fibre to the subscriber. In France, this local loop is largely owned by Orange, inherited from the former France Télécom copper network. The operator is therefore simultaneously the infrastructure manager on behalf of all operators, a commercial operator (via Orange OI FttH) in some areas, and a delegated manager within public-initiative networks (PIN/RIP) operated by Orange Concessions.
To order fibre on this infrastructure, third-party operators use the iBLO offer (ingénierie Boucle Locale Optique, i.e. Optical Local Loop Engineering). It is a platform that handles duct and pole orders, outage reports, and billing. If Orange treats its own subsidiaries more favourably than third parties on this system, competition is distorted, and at the end of the chain, the subscriber pays the price (less competition = higher prices, slower rollouts).
What Arcep actually audited
The audit, conducted by an independent firm at Arcep's request, covered three categories of iBLO users:
- Orange OI FttH — Orange's branch in charge of deploying and operating FttH in the so-called "AMII" areas (Appel à Manifestation d'Intention d'Investissement, i.e. the medium-density zones).
- Orange Concessions — the subsidiary that operates the public-initiative networks (PIN) entrusted by local authorities.
- Third-party operators — SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free, and alternative ISPs that lease the infrastructure to offer their fibre plans.
The audit scrutinised several critical processes: civil engineering access orders (poles, ducts, manholes), outage report processing, access to monitoring tools, and processing delays.
The report's main findings
A welcome surprise: no systemic discrimination was found between the three categories of users across the majority of the audited processes. In practice, this means that third-party operators and Orange OI FttH receive on average the same processing times, the same information, and access to the same features on iBLO.
A black spot was nevertheless identified: on so-called "complex" pole orders — i.e. orders involving multiple interventions, third-party authorisations (local councils, private owners), or atypical configurations — a treatment gap was observed to the detriment of third-party operators. In concrete terms, some Orange OI FttH orders were processed faster on this type of file.
This gap has been fixed in January 2026, that is before the report was published: Arcep notes that the operator remedied the issue proactively, and that the monitoring indicators rolled out since then show a convergence of delays.
The eSAV tool: a progress to be confirmed
The report also highlights an expected improvement with the rollout of the eSAV tool (e-Service Après-Vente, i.e. e-After-Sales Service) by Orange OI FttH and Orange Concessions, operational since February 2026. This tool standardises the handling of outage reports and maintenance operations between the various Orange entities and third parties.
Arcep announced that detailed monitoring indicators will be deployed throughout 2026 to verify that this convergence holds, and that a follow-up audit could be triggered if gaps reappear.
Why this audit matters for fibre subscribers
You may be wondering: "What does that have to do with my €25.99/month fibre plan?" The answer is simple. The entire French fibre market relies on Orange's infrastructure. Whether you are with Free, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, or an alternative ISP (such as those active on PIN/RIP networks), your operator pays rent to Orange to use the poles, ducts, and draw chambers that bring fibre to your home.
If access to this infrastructure is discriminatory, third-party operators are disadvantaged: longer connection times, higher operating costs, and ultimately an inability to offer competitive plans in some areas. Arcep's audit, by confirming the absence of systemic discrimination, reassures on the proper functioning of the market and on the State's ability to enforce the rules.
Conversely, the black spot identified on complex orders shows that vigilance is still required: the growing sophistication of deployments (façade connections, third-party authorisations, works coordinated with local councils) mechanically creates cases where discrimination can creep back in.
Going further
This audit is part of Arcep's ex post regulatory mission, complementary to its action on symmetric and asymmetric obligations imposed on Orange. It follows several recent decisions on the subject, including decision n° 2025-2099-RDPI on Réseau Optique de France (Free) mutualisation points, which we covered in a recent article.
To stay informed of the next Arcep decisions on fibre infrastructure, you can regularly consult the Arcep news page, or follow our blog which recaps the regulator's main decisions every week.
If you have experienced an unresolved fibre connection issue or outage, please report it to us via our contact page — these reports are invaluable to measure what is actually happening on the ground.
