French Competition Authority orders Orange to suspend fiber deployment in Mayotte

The French Competition Authority has issued interim measures ordering Orange to suspend its fiber optic network expansion in Mayotte. The decision follows complaints from Réunicable, the public service delegate Mayotte THD, and the Department-Region of Mayotte.

The regulator intervened to prevent potential abuse of a dominant position. The Authority expressed concerns that Orange’s unilateral plan to deploy its own fiber-to-the-home (FttH) network in five communes could undermine the economic viability of the public initiative network. There is a risk that by capturing revenue from the most profitable areas, the public project may lack the financial balance required to provide coverage to the remaining twelve communes.

Under the order, Orange must halt deployment in areas not yet equipped and cease soliciting other operators in the wholesale market within those sectors. Existing services will not be disconnected. Additionally, Orange is required to provide Arcep and the Department-Region with a detailed inventory of its fiber and copper networks and must guarantee Mayotte THD access to necessary civil engineering infrastructure to support the public network deployment.