Quite often one will find that the commune (or commune of communes) has done a deal with Orange that means they have exclusivity for the first 6 months. Only after 6 months can other providers offer a service in that area. It helps reduce costs to the commune.
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Not in this case. Also, the infrastructure isn’t owned, nor built or maintained by Orange. Local government set up a company Emeraude, to build out the infrastructure and a company called Altitude Infra was charged with building and maintaining it. There are many providers that all pay Emeraude for the privilege of using the network and providing services, and there can be no backroom deals. This is why I said it is disingenuous for Orange to suggest (by omission) that they are the only provider, betting that many people may get the impression that they can’t go anywhere else.
Neither is ours, but Orange apparently contributed a sizeable chunk in return for for this 6 month’s grace period.
If that’s the case, then I think it’s disgraceful. In our case, the local government built out the infrastructure because Orange refused to do it and they used thier own money along with government and EU loans and grants and a contribution from Altitude Infra to do it. Orange were only interested in the cities like Carcassonne and Narbonne and wouldn’t go any further.
If it means we get fibre then I don’t find it disgraceful. And only 6 month wait, not a blanket ban.
In the UK we get the “just released from prison, trying to make a new life” variant of this. The goods are always massively overpriced as well.
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I’ve always given 50 euros, but haven’t had a visit from them now for years.
I’d have thought they’d be back every week 
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The same pompier came every year. But my garden gate is notoriously difficult to open!
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I would be curious if this sort of deal runs foul of competition laws. The telecoms sector in the EU is highly regulated and is structured to not give any advantage to any particular provider, and the incumbent is in particular put under the spotlight.
As long as all operators were offered the same opportunity then I see no issue.
Seems unlikely that a deal would be struck which breaches the Regs… any deal will fall within guidelines… (in my view)
Let’s face it… the whole of France is scrutinizing every detail of Fibre… and a naughty something will not pass undetected (in my view… 
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Here in the big city it’s the garbage men who rule the roost. First one came on Monday last week and got a tenner. The second one came about 30 minutes later! When I indicated that I’d already paid his colleague for a very tatty calendar he said " But he’s from the green poubelles … I’m from the yellow ones!" And on it goes, every night of the week, some joker in a gilet jaune claiming to represent this or that public service … all well paid fonctionnaires with their hands out.
We give the garbage truck 10 bucks each, the yellow bagtruck the same and the fire service we give them 20 bucks. The garbage and the yellow bag trucks have both tken rubbish away without comment. And one never knows when or if one might need the assistance ot the Pompiers.
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The village jungle drums were saying this morning that they have started their rounds early this year 