At a rate that exceeds the European average, FTTH networks (optical fiber to homes and businesses) continue to develop in Greece, without, however, bridging the gap with the rest of the EU countries.
Based on published data and estimates from the telecommunications market at the end of the first half of this year, the available FTTH lines throughout the country, from the providers Cosmote, Nova and Vodafone, were 2.7 million. Given that the total fixed connections are 4.8 million, the penetration rate of FTTH networks is approximately 56%, when at the end of 2024 the European average was 69.24% (the latest EU data – from the Digital Decade report published in June).
Based on EU data, 2024 closed with the penetration of FTTH infrastructure at 46.06%, a percentage significantly lower than the average, but with a growth rate of 19.9%, higher than the average EU growth rate of 8.4%.
FTTH subscribers (consumers who have the service) are estimated (end of June data) at a total of 830 thousand, i.e. 17% of the total market (out of 4.8 million fixed connections) and 31% of coverage (out of 2.7 million connections constructed).
The largest provider
OTE remains the largest provider of optical fiber infrastructure. At the end of June, approximately 1.9 million homes and businesses had access to OTE’s FTTH network. By the end of the year, it aims to reach approximately 2.1 million households and businesses and approximately 3 million by 2027.
The demand-enhancing voucher (Gigabit Voucher), an action of the Ministry of Digital Governance that is currently underway, is contributing significantly to the increase in FTTH users. The majority of new connections are made using the voucher.
In the second quarter, OTE recorded approximately 40 thousand net new optical fiber connections. In total, OTE’s FTTH subscribers amount to 470 thousand (data at the end of June), representing 20% of its total broadband connections.
Of the total 470 thousand FTTH subscribers, 84% use OTE’s infrastructure. In addition, 46% of the competition’s FTTH subscribers rely on OTE’s infrastructure, compared to 37% a year ago, an increase that is also due to volume discount agreements in the wholesale FTTH market between key market providers, which were concluded last year.
Nova announced that through United Fiber (a subsidiary of United Group for the implementation of optical fiber networks) it has connected approximately 710,000 homes and businesses to FTTH and by the end of the year it will reach 830,000.
Vodafone (according to the latest figures it has made public) has 360,000 commercially available FTTH lines, aiming to activate 500,000 by the end of the year. By 2028 it will have implemented 850,000.
PPC is dynamically entering the FTTH market through DEH Fiber, while the company Inalan is also active in certain areas in Athens and Thessaloniki.
OTE, Nova and Vodafone are each building a fiber optic network in different areas, Inalan and PPC mainly in the areas where the three aforementioned are overbuilt, providing only internet service.
Based on the half-year data, PPC has reached approximately 1.3 million households and businesses and its target is 1.5 million by the end of 2025.
