dstelecom was awarded the 2015 prize by the FTTH Council Europe, the international association that brings together key players in the fiber optics sector. This award recognizes dstelecom as the operator that has made the best contribution to fiber optic reinforcement. The European Council of FTTH recognizes and rewards the effort, strategy and enthusiasm in developing this type of network. dstelecom, a dst company, built and operates about nine thousand kilometers of broadband in the rural areas of Northern Portugal, Alentejo and Algarve.

This is the second year that a Portuguese operator proves itself against its counterparts across Europe, after the distinction of Vodafone Portugal in 2014. The innovation and know-how that national companies dedicate to the sector, in particular dstelecom, continue to receive international recognition. The award was presented by FTTH Council Europe president, Karin Ahl, during this year's annual conference in Warsaw, before an audience of about 1,500 delegates from 85 countries and about 3,000 visitors. During the ceremony, Karin Ahl stressed that awarding this prize "is the recognition of the extraordinary effort that dstelecom has been making in increasing optical fiber in Europe, with a global investment in the order of 90 million euros", noting that "advancing fiber networks in rural areas contributes decisively to reducing the distance between urban and rural areas, with all the socio-economic advantages that come from it."

On that occasion, Xavier Rodriguez-Martin, an administrator at dstelecom, highlighted "the satisfaction with which we have received this distinction, which rewards innovation and competitiveness not only of the dstelecom network, but also of the Portuguese telecommunications market as a whole." dstelecom's managing director, Ricardo Salgado, added during the conference that "our entire team is proud of the work developed, something that is also recognized by customers who use our network daily. We will spare no effort to continue to expand it and the services we offer. "

For José Teixeira, president of DST group, "this award encourages us to strengthen our investment strategy in constructing and operating broadband networks, both in Portugal and in other geographies. We believe that telecommunications is the 21st century utility and, therefore, it makes sense for a diversified group like ours to also gain a relevant presence in this sector."

dstelecom has an ambitious growth plan for 2015, which includes the fiber-optic infrastructure of 40 industrial parks, the construction of a new Central Technical Center at its headquarters in Braga and the expansion of the network in new areas of the country.