EU set to map out broadband route

bealtine

http://www.rte.ie/business/2010/0920/broadband.html

Monday, 20 September 2010 11:44

The European Commission will today adopt a range of measures it is hoped will improve and accelerate broadband access across the EU.

Brussels wants every European citizen to have access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast or ultra-fast broadband by 2020.

Figures show that Ireland's broadband access rates at 22.2% of the population are still below the EU average of 24.85. Some 53% of Irish households have a broadband connection, which is slightly below the EU average, according to Eurostat figures.
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Ireland lags behind 13 countries with Denmark at the top with 37.8%, while Bulgaria is at the bottom of the 27 with just 13%.

The European Commission will today set out new rules on the established of the so-called Next Generation Networks, ie high speed fibre networks. The rules are designed to encourage investment in the networks and ensure competition between operators.

Another proposal from the Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes is to ensure the most efficient use of the radio spectrum, ensuring that sufficient spectrum is made available by 2013 for wireless broadband.

This is thought to be a significant way of bringing high speed broadband to rural areas.

Member states like Ireland will be encouraged to introduce plans for high and ultra high speed networks, with guidance on how to cut investment costs and how public authorities might support broadband investment, including making better use EU funds.

Only 1% of consumers in Europe have a high speed fibre connection in their homes compared to 12% of Japanese and 15% of South Koreans.

The Commission believes that fast and ultra-fast broadband could revolutionise people's lives in the same way that railways did 100 years ago, with applications not just for jobs and businesses, but for health and education as well.

The Government is expected to welcome the Commission's proposals. According to the policy paper issued by Minister Eamon Ryan in June 2009, the target is to have broadband throughout Ireland by 2010. It said the provision of high speed broadband and the Next Generation Networks were a matter for the market with the right regulatory framework.

According to a briefing paper, broadband is available in all urban areas from a choice of competing service providers and is available in most rural areas from at least one service provider. Where broadband in not available in an area, it will become available under the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) before the end of next month.

The Government has set aside €320m under 'Infrastructure Investment Priorities 2010-2016' for broadband provision. The paper said that fibre networks are available to service providers on an open access basis in over 90 regional cities and towns.

bealtine

http://www.siliconrepublic.com/comms/item/17789-european-commission-pushes/

The European Commission has adopted three complementary measures to facilitate the roll out and take up of ultra-fast broadband in the EU, which includes freeing up valuable broadband spectrum to mobile operators by 2013.

The measures aim to help the EU realise the commitments in the Digital Agenda for Europe to give everyone European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020.

The commission also sees broadband infrastructure as being essential to creating jobs.

"Fast broadband is digital oxygen, essential for Europe's prosperity and well-being,” said Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the European Commission for the Digital Agenda.

“These measures will help to ensure that Europeans get the first-class internet they expect and deserve, so that they can access the content and services they want.”
High-speed fibre networks access

The package includes a Commission Recommendation on Regulated Access to Next Generation Access (NGA) Networks that sets out a common regulatory approach for access to new high-speed fibre networks that asks telecoms regulators to ensure a balance between encouraging investment and safeguarding competition.

This measure provides regulatory clarity to all market players in order to stimulate investment in high-speed broadband.

The package also includes a commission proposal for a decision by the European parliament and council to establish a five-year policy programme to promote efficient radio spectrum management.

It also wishes to ensure that sufficient spectrum is available by 2013 for wireless broadband. The EU feels that this will support innovation in other policy areas, such as transport and the environment.

The package’s third measure is a Broadband Communication that sets out a framework for meeting the Digital Agenda targets and outlines how to encourage public and private investment in fast broadband networks.

It asks EU states to introduce operational broadband plans for high-speed networks with concrete implementing measures, provides guidance on cutting investment costs and indicates how public authorities may support such investment.

Europe currently has the highest average levels of broadband take up at 24.8pc, but networks need to be upgraded.

Only 1pc of Europeans have a high-speed fibre internet connection directly to their homes, compared to 12pc of Japanese and 15pc of South Koreans.

Laura O'Brien

watty

As part of this
To help meet goal of Universal 30Mbps Broadband by 2013 the Eu proposes the Digital Dividend MUST be complete by January 2013.

Those countries, and everyone else, will have to deregulate 900MHz and 1800MHz and sell off 2.6GHz and 3.5GHz by 2012.

3.5GHz/3.6GHz (Imagine, Eircom and others) is licensed only as circles in Ireland, apart from Eircom's national Licence which is under used.

2.5GHz Eircom's almost unused national licence and 2.6Ghz is UPC MMDS.

900MHz and 1800MHz are GSM/GPRS/EDGE Mobile Phone and Data. If 900MHz is "deregulated" the Mobile operators will "waste" it on having low capacity Rural 3G coverage with too few cells for decent data capacity. They want to save money, not improve 3G Data. It's voice calls they make the money from.