The aim of the Martinique High-Speed Broadband (HSBB) project is to deploy a super-fast broadband network using fibre-to-the-home technology in areas of Martinique defined as ‘public initiative’ under France’s high-speed broadband plan (Plan France Très Haut Débit). In such areas, private operators are not required to install their own networks because it is not profitable enough for them to do so.
High-speed broadband across Martinique promises to boost economy
- 05 June 2019
The project involves the design and implementation across the island of high-speed electronic communications infrastructure. In the first phase, fibre-to-the-home outlets are to be installed for 94 365 premises in public initiative areas. Currently, these areas have no next-generation access networks and are only covered by asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) technology.
Areas where electronic communications infrastructure has been deployed at super-fast speeds under private initiatives are outside the scope of the project. They include Fort-de-France and Schoelcher, where a fibre-to-the-home agreement has been concluded with telecommunications company Orange, which has undertaken to finance the installation of the network; and grey next-generation access areas with cable networks that have either been upgraded by French telecommunications provider SFR to provide high-speed broadband, or are in the process of being upgraded.
If super-fast broadband networks were deployed solely through private initiatives, only 46.9 % of Martinique’s households would be covered by HSBB faster than 100 megabits per second. To bridge this digital divide, the Martinique Territorial Collectivity took on the coordination of the current project in 2015.
In the longer term, the objective is to expand the project to cover all public initiative areas. Taking into account public and private provision, it is expected that all premises in Martinique will be eligible to receive HSBB via fibre-to-the-home, or upgraded cable networks by the end of the 2014-2020 programming period.
High-speed broadband offers a chance to improve productivity and turn weaknesses such as geographical remoteness into economic advantages – for example by taking advantage of Martinique’s time zone, which is close to the USA’s. It should encourage emergence of innovative services like e-health and e-education, and allow for teleworking and video conferencing, which reduce business travel and resulting CO2 emissions.
Development of digital technology will help create trade links with the rest of the world. Given the impact of information and communication technologies on productivity, deployment of high-speed broadband is a priority.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “HSBB (High Speed Broadband) project in Martinique” is EUR 219 810 254, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 34 500 000 through the “Regional programme Martinique Conseil Régional” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “ICT competitiveness and inclusion factors”.