French telecom regulator Arcep has approved the implementation of the so-called 'access ID card' enabled by an API, which will be installed in operators' boxes to collect useful information on fixed broadband lines, such as the type of access network used by the end-user (copper, cable, fibre), the headline speed of the service, and the strength of the Wi-Fi signal.
The initiative is part of the regulator's efforts to monitor the actual quality of service experienced by broadband users, relying on a data-driven approach. Its execution will aim to increase the accuracy of fixed internet QoS campaigns, replacing the previous method based on tests in a controlled environment.
Publishing its decision, Arcep said that the QoS measurement tools participating in the project cannot receive any information linked to the user’s identity, adding that the country’s privacy watchdog (CNIL) was satisfied that the new API complied with data privacy requirements.
In line with the draft document published in April, the 'access ID card' will become a compulsory feature in operators' boxes used in the residential market, connected via current fixed broadband networks (copper, cable, fibre), as well as fixed 5G connections in the future.
The obligation applies to broadband providers with at least 1 million subscribers and covers versions of boxes used by at least 30,000 customers. Operators will have roughly two years to install the API on the first boxes, with a target of 95 percent of eligible equipment within 30 months.