Opportunity
The French government is seeking to make fast broadband access available to all. The Grand Est Broadband PPP – France’s largest broadband project – was initiated to offer high-speed internet connectivity to more than one million households and businesses throughout the country. The lenders consulted our team in Paris for technical advisory and due diligence services.
Solution
Our knowledge of the local broadband market and experience of the risk and opportunity profile of similar developments was crucial to the success of this project. We mobilised quickly, with a global multidisciplinary team of digital technical specialists, civil engineers, socio-economic and environmental analysts and infrastructure finance experts.
We analysed the project risk profile and advised the lenders on potential technical challenges related to contract documentation, design and construction planning. Connected thinking, through close collaboration with the lenders, legal advisors and stakeholders, enabled challenges to be examined from new angles and solutions agreed that secure the best outcome for everyone affected by the programme.
Our experts developed a bespoke tool based on national population density data to calculate the cost of each high-speed connection or ‘plug’ in each area. The tool was used to validate the business case. It is a valuable resource and will support the evaluation of similar projects in future. We’re now monitoring construction in an ongoing role.
Outcome
We’re proud to have helped secure investment in this vital expansion of the fibre-optic broadband network in France, which will bring super-fast connection to the doorsteps of more than 1 million residences. To date, the project is the largest broadband PPP to have reached financial close, and represents EUR 1.3bn worth of investments.