[zdnet] Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull denied he is seeking to "wreck" the National Broadband Network (NBN) but said it was unlikely the Coalition would ever vote for the $43 billion project.
"I'm not seeking to wreck, destroy or anything. My objective is to get some real transparency and accountability on this," Turnbull said of his new role. "We need to have an informed debate about spending. The government is talking about spending a really stupendous amount of money [on the NBN] and our job in opposition is to hold them to account for that."
The shadow minister said that the "Rolls Royce" NBN would likely be the fastest medium available but there was a price for it.
"[The NBN project] is a substantial transfer of wealth from taxpayers to retailers and hopefully that will benefit customers who will get cheaper services, better-quality services but there is a very substantial transfer of wealth from taxpayers," he said.
Since being appointed to the role, Turnbull has put pressure on the Government to conduct a cost-benefit analysis on the project. This is something that has been echoed by some in the business community. However if the government was to conduct one and it came out in favour of the NBN, Turnbull said that wouldn't guarantee his support.
"No one in their right mind would ever give a blank cheque to an analysis that hasn't been done yet," he said, spelling out what he believed such an analysis should look at.
"A good cost benefit analysis will be very transparent, will set out all its assumptions will allow people to play with those assumptions, play with them and form their own view," he said. "And it could be very influential."
Turnbull said that by opposing the project in the immediate term, the Opposition would be better prepared to hold the government to account for any waste from the NBN.
"In February 2009, when I was still leader of the Opposition, we opposed the stimulus package. And that was very unpopular but it was right," he said. "If we hadn't done that we would have never had a legitimate place to criticise the pink batts fiasco or for criticising the waste and mismanagement of the school halls program, so sometimes in politics you've got to do what's right even if it might not be electorally enticing."
By opposing the project, the Coalition would also set itself apart from the government if Labor's slim majority in Parliament is compromised and voters are forced back to the polls early.
"[The Independent MPs Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott] could change their minds [and side with the Coalition]. I think it's very unlikely that they will, but they could theoretically and we could be back at the polls in a few months," he said, adding that Prime Minister Julia Gillard did not have a mandate to go ahead with the NBN from the 2010 election.
"She didn't win the election. She lost a lot of seats and she has hung onto power by the skin of her teeth."
Turnbull not an NBN 'wrecker'
Friday, September 24, 2010
UK - Debate over the taxes applied to fibre optic broadband networks continue in govt
[isp review] Rory Stewart, the governments Conservative MP for Penrith (Cumbria), has revealed that the UK Treasury and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) are still debating how best to tackle the taxes on new Next Generation Access (NGA) fibre optic based broadband networks.
The news is surprising because, back in August 2010, the Minister for Communications, Culture and the Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey, scrapped an earlier pledge to review the controversial tax (here) on new fibre optic lines (Fibre Tax) and introduced new guidance instead. He did however leave the door open for more discussion.
Sadly the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) guidance, which effectively introduced a £20 tax on all homes that receive their NGA broadband from a non-BT network, did little to address the underlying imbalance. This leads to smaller ISPs paying significantly more to lay fibre optic broadband than the bigger operators like BT and Virgin Media UK.
UK Government Still Debating NGA Fibre Optic Broadband Taxation
The news is surprising because, back in August 2010, the Minister for Communications, Culture and the Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey, scrapped an earlier pledge to review the controversial tax (here) on new fibre optic lines (Fibre Tax) and introduced new guidance instead. He did however leave the door open for more discussion.
Sadly the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) guidance, which effectively introduced a £20 tax on all homes that receive their NGA broadband from a non-BT network, did little to address the underlying imbalance. This leads to smaller ISPs paying significantly more to lay fibre optic broadband than the bigger operators like BT and Virgin Media UK.
UK Government Still Debating NGA Fibre Optic Broadband Taxation
India - Calls for a more integrated and longer term plan for broadband
[express computer online] Earlier this week, we attended the TRAI (Telecom regulatory authority of India) forum for discussing proposed National broadband plan where key stakeholders including mobile operators, equipment vendors, cable operators and consumer groups shared their views. With the impending launch of 3G/BWA services, TRAI will need to ensure that any policy on broadband is both non-discriminatory and forward looking in order to accommodate the interests of all players in the ecosystem.
The regulator needs to take a longer term view while drafting policy
Though there is already a national broadband policy drafted in 2004, a need was felt for a new broadband plan because the previous policy has largely failed in increasing the broadband penetration in the country. The broadband penetration in India is currently less than 1% despite the fact that there are 104 operators. Currently, there are only 200,000 new broadband connections per month, compared to an equivalent of 15-18 million new mobile connections. Some of the key proposals from participants included local loop unbundling (LLU), tax benefits for broadband CPEs, nodal authority for all RoW requests, separate definitions for fixed and mobile broadband, auction of 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum and equitable treatment of all broadband service providers. Few stakeholders have evinced interest in national fiber network (NFN) and suggested use of more than 1 million route kilometers of fiber already laid by different operators.
Some of the participants rightly pointed out the short term nature of planning by TRAI in its consultation paper and we believe that the scope and time period envisaged under the new policy must include a plan for increasing broadband penetration up to 2020 compared to the existing proposal of planning up to 2014. Ovum analyst, Santosh Sathanur, opined, “The proposed plan of up to 2020 should also be further subdivided into phases with clear objectives for each phase. Due to the initial economies of providing broadband access, the initial phases of any plan proposed by TRAI should provide an increased fillip to wireless broadband in rural areas and LLU in urban areas with pan India wired broadband given due importance in subsequent phases.”
More encouragement is required for developing localized content
In order for broadband to be successful in India, operators should design business models which provide the same level of comfort and ease that consumers today attach to mobile telephony. Similar to mobile communications, where introducing local language user interface resulted in increased uptake of mobile services, broadband take up in India is linked to a content ecosystem which is localized in nature. Sathanur, said, “TRAI needs to work on developing an ecosystem which supports developing more and more content in local Indian languages by providing seed funding and/or taxation benefits to select companies focused on developing rural-specific and local language information. Developing area specific local content in order to address the local and immediate needs is imperative for increased penetration of broadband services in rural areas.”
The regulatory framework must treat all broadband providers equitably
The current licensing framework varies for different players providing Internet services. Though the ISPs are currently required to comply with speed requirement of 256 Kbps per subscriber in order to term their service as broadband, there is no clarity on how the same can be applied to mobile players who are expected to provide high speed Internet/broadband services with the launch of 3G and BWA networks. Further, the ISP’s licensees are subject to a lower revenue share regime compared to the mobile players offering Internet services with Unified access service (UAS) licenses. The cable operator license is currently not seen in the same light as a UASL or ISP license. Hence, any infrastructure deployment benefits derived by UASL or ISP licensees by not paying license fee on revenues earned by respective infrastructure entities do not apply to cable operators leaving them in a disadvantaged position. Sathanur added, “In order to ensure a competitive landscape for operators providing broadband services in the future, the regulator should ensure a license treatment which is similar for all service providers.”
TRAI needs to take a holistic view on national broadband plan, says Ovum
The regulator needs to take a longer term view while drafting policy
Though there is already a national broadband policy drafted in 2004, a need was felt for a new broadband plan because the previous policy has largely failed in increasing the broadband penetration in the country. The broadband penetration in India is currently less than 1% despite the fact that there are 104 operators. Currently, there are only 200,000 new broadband connections per month, compared to an equivalent of 15-18 million new mobile connections. Some of the key proposals from participants included local loop unbundling (LLU), tax benefits for broadband CPEs, nodal authority for all RoW requests, separate definitions for fixed and mobile broadband, auction of 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz spectrum and equitable treatment of all broadband service providers. Few stakeholders have evinced interest in national fiber network (NFN) and suggested use of more than 1 million route kilometers of fiber already laid by different operators.
Some of the participants rightly pointed out the short term nature of planning by TRAI in its consultation paper and we believe that the scope and time period envisaged under the new policy must include a plan for increasing broadband penetration up to 2020 compared to the existing proposal of planning up to 2014. Ovum analyst, Santosh Sathanur, opined, “The proposed plan of up to 2020 should also be further subdivided into phases with clear objectives for each phase. Due to the initial economies of providing broadband access, the initial phases of any plan proposed by TRAI should provide an increased fillip to wireless broadband in rural areas and LLU in urban areas with pan India wired broadband given due importance in subsequent phases.”
More encouragement is required for developing localized content
In order for broadband to be successful in India, operators should design business models which provide the same level of comfort and ease that consumers today attach to mobile telephony. Similar to mobile communications, where introducing local language user interface resulted in increased uptake of mobile services, broadband take up in India is linked to a content ecosystem which is localized in nature. Sathanur, said, “TRAI needs to work on developing an ecosystem which supports developing more and more content in local Indian languages by providing seed funding and/or taxation benefits to select companies focused on developing rural-specific and local language information. Developing area specific local content in order to address the local and immediate needs is imperative for increased penetration of broadband services in rural areas.”
The regulatory framework must treat all broadband providers equitably
The current licensing framework varies for different players providing Internet services. Though the ISPs are currently required to comply with speed requirement of 256 Kbps per subscriber in order to term their service as broadband, there is no clarity on how the same can be applied to mobile players who are expected to provide high speed Internet/broadband services with the launch of 3G and BWA networks. Further, the ISP’s licensees are subject to a lower revenue share regime compared to the mobile players offering Internet services with Unified access service (UAS) licenses. The cable operator license is currently not seen in the same light as a UASL or ISP license. Hence, any infrastructure deployment benefits derived by UASL or ISP licensees by not paying license fee on revenues earned by respective infrastructure entities do not apply to cable operators leaving them in a disadvantaged position. Sathanur added, “In order to ensure a competitive landscape for operators providing broadband services in the future, the regulator should ensure a license treatment which is similar for all service providers.”
TRAI needs to take a holistic view on national broadband plan, says Ovum
Mobile - YouTube is focusing more on mobile services with a new platform
[mobile business briefing] Francisco Varela, head of platform partnerships at YouTube, yesterday told delegates that the company’s new high-end mobile website (codenamed Blazer) would provide a “best-in-class” video search experience from a mobile, and address many of the earlier issues with YouTube mobile services. Admitting that YouTube's mobile platforms had previously offered a fragmented experience, Varela said that the Blazer platform – currently only available on next-generation browsers found on Android and iPhone handsets – tackled the issues that the company's research proved mattered the most. “A mobile video experience needs to be fast, contain personalisation features and have comprehensive access to a library of content,” he said. “Blazer gets us closer to ticking all those boxes.” Varela said that the vast majority of the YouTube catalogue would be available to access by search on the Blazer platform and claimed that the iconic website was now the second most searched site in the world. “A YouTube search often reveals and entertains far more than a traditional web search,” he said.
Varela also revealed that – despite those previous issues and limitations – mobile viewing of YouTube content grew by 160 percent in 2009 and that strong growth was also expected in 2010. He contrasted the current situation with the launch of YouTube mobile in 2007, complete with a total library of 12 daily videos selected and approved by the channel and its operator partner, Verizon. At the same time, YouTube also launched with Vodafone with a total catalogue of 1,000 videos available to search. “Mobile broadband services need to echo and support the growing demand among users for immediate mobile access to high quality video from a vast library of content at an affordable price. YouTube – together with a compelling operator data plan - can provide that through the Blazer platform,” concluded Varela.
YouTube strengthens mobile focus
Varela also revealed that – despite those previous issues and limitations – mobile viewing of YouTube content grew by 160 percent in 2009 and that strong growth was also expected in 2010. He contrasted the current situation with the launch of YouTube mobile in 2007, complete with a total library of 12 daily videos selected and approved by the channel and its operator partner, Verizon. At the same time, YouTube also launched with Vodafone with a total catalogue of 1,000 videos available to search. “Mobile broadband services need to echo and support the growing demand among users for immediate mobile access to high quality video from a vast library of content at an affordable price. YouTube – together with a compelling operator data plan - can provide that through the Blazer platform,” concluded Varela.
YouTube strengthens mobile focus
UK - The elderly believe the Internet could have improved their lives
[cable] Elderly UK residents believe the internet could have improved their lives, according to a new study.
Older people in the UK recognise the benefits of home broadband access, a new study has revealed.
The poll carried out by ICM on behalf of elderly people's charity Age UK revealed that 35 per cent of over-65s believe their education would have been better if the internet had existed when they were younger.
One in three respondents in this age bracket also said they would have kept in touch more with their friends and family if they had been able to access the web.
Meanwhile, 27 per cent would be encouraged to use the internet if they were helped along the way by friends, family members or neighbours.
Miriam Margolyes, the Harry Potter and Blackadder actress who is also an ambassador for the charity, commented: "The internet is an essential resource that allows everyone to communicate, learn, save money and - most importantly - have fun."
Last month, the Office for National Statistics revealed that over-65s were among the people most likely to have never used the internet.
Over-65s aware of broadband benefits, study shows
see also Age UK - One third of lone pensioners online
Older people in the UK recognise the benefits of home broadband access, a new study has revealed.
The poll carried out by ICM on behalf of elderly people's charity Age UK revealed that 35 per cent of over-65s believe their education would have been better if the internet had existed when they were younger.
One in three respondents in this age bracket also said they would have kept in touch more with their friends and family if they had been able to access the web.
Meanwhile, 27 per cent would be encouraged to use the internet if they were helped along the way by friends, family members or neighbours.
Miriam Margolyes, the Harry Potter and Blackadder actress who is also an ambassador for the charity, commented: "The internet is an essential resource that allows everyone to communicate, learn, save money and - most importantly - have fun."
Last month, the Office for National Statistics revealed that over-65s were among the people most likely to have never used the internet.
Over-65s aware of broadband benefits, study shows
see also Age UK - One third of lone pensioners online
Europe - Imcumbent operators are cool to the EC proposals on regulation of fibre optic networks
[ft] Senior European telecoms executives reacted coolly to the European Union’s proposals on regulating the next generation of broadband internet networks, warning that excessive regulation could make large-scale investments less likely.
Stéphane Richard, chief executive of France Telecom, said he was “not fully comfortable” with the proposals, released on Monday by Neelie Kroes, EU telecoms commissioner.
Telecoms fear impact of EU regulation
Stéphane Richard, chief executive of France Telecom, said he was “not fully comfortable” with the proposals, released on Monday by Neelie Kroes, EU telecoms commissioner.
Telecoms fear impact of EU regulation
Europe - Commission sets out vision for broadband with access at 30 Mbps to be available
[enterprise communications] During a speech on September 22, European Commissioner Neelie Kroes outlined broadband’s future in Europe. The proposals she outlined are part of the EC’s Digital Agenda program which has a mandate to provide basic broadband to every European citizen by 2013, with download speeds of 30Mbps by 2020.
Kroes announced that today the Digital Agenda for Europe was moving from “vision to concrete action. On my initiative, the Commission has this morning agreed three complementary measures to facilitate the roll out and take up of fast and ultra-fast broadband in the EU. These measures support the Digital Agenda’s key performance targets.”
Kroes equated fast broadband to “digital oxygen, essential for Europe’s prosperity and well-being. No one doubts that Europe will be better off if we get everyone online. It is of course much harder to make tough policy choices and get the major investments needed to realize those goals.”
The package she introduced has three elements: first, a Commission Recommendation on Regulated access to Next Generation Access (NGA) that requires national telecoms regulators to ensure an appropriate balance between the needs to encourage investment and to safeguard competition. Second, a Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council for a Decision to establish a five year policy program for radio spectrum that would in particular ensure that sufficient spectrum is made available for wireless broadband. And last, a Communication on how best to increase private and public investment in broadband networks.
Kroes also noted that Europe needs both investment incentives and competition to get these high speed and modern networks rolled-out. “Only a mix of the two will concentrate the resources and the energy needed for these investments and competitive broadband services.”
The Commissioner concluded on an impassioned note, saying, “I cannot sit by and allow our businesses to continue to compete against Asian businesses with internet 100 times faster than our own. I cannot sit by and watch our broadband advantage disappear through complacency. So today’s measures should send a loud and clear signal to European businesses and citizens. 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. These measures will help our economy realize smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The future is digital and we all need to work together to invest in competitive broadband networks and other projects that will let us tap into that digital potential.”
Fast Broadband Vital to Europe’s Future
Kroes announced that today the Digital Agenda for Europe was moving from “vision to concrete action. On my initiative, the Commission has this morning agreed three complementary measures to facilitate the roll out and take up of fast and ultra-fast broadband in the EU. These measures support the Digital Agenda’s key performance targets.”
Kroes equated fast broadband to “digital oxygen, essential for Europe’s prosperity and well-being. No one doubts that Europe will be better off if we get everyone online. It is of course much harder to make tough policy choices and get the major investments needed to realize those goals.”
The package she introduced has three elements: first, a Commission Recommendation on Regulated access to Next Generation Access (NGA) that requires national telecoms regulators to ensure an appropriate balance between the needs to encourage investment and to safeguard competition. Second, a Commission proposal to the European Parliament and the Council for a Decision to establish a five year policy program for radio spectrum that would in particular ensure that sufficient spectrum is made available for wireless broadband. And last, a Communication on how best to increase private and public investment in broadband networks.
Kroes also noted that Europe needs both investment incentives and competition to get these high speed and modern networks rolled-out. “Only a mix of the two will concentrate the resources and the energy needed for these investments and competitive broadband services.”
The Commissioner concluded on an impassioned note, saying, “I cannot sit by and allow our businesses to continue to compete against Asian businesses with internet 100 times faster than our own. I cannot sit by and watch our broadband advantage disappear through complacency. So today’s measures should send a loud and clear signal to European businesses and citizens. 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. These measures will help our economy realize smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The future is digital and we all need to work together to invest in competitive broadband networks and other projects that will let us tap into that digital potential.”
Fast Broadband Vital to Europe’s Future
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Netherlands - Govt has launched a consultation on mobile markets
[nl] Issues raised in the consultation are:
# Possibilities of further market entry by spectrum auctions
# Removing barriers to entry to foster competition
# To provide more spectrum for mobile communications, because of the rapid growth in use of smartphones and mobile Internet
# Clarify when mobile communications frequencies are to be auctioned
# To provide enough spectrum to ensure both existing and new entrants can have a good mix of high (> 1GHz band) and low (<1GHz band) bands
# Obligations that do not hinder innovation
# maintain and continue dynamic markets to ensure that consumers are well served
Minder drempels voor nieuwe mobiele telecombedrijven
# Possibilities of further market entry by spectrum auctions
# Removing barriers to entry to foster competition
# To provide more spectrum for mobile communications, because of the rapid growth in use of smartphones and mobile Internet
# Clarify when mobile communications frequencies are to be auctioned
# To provide enough spectrum to ensure both existing and new entrants can have a good mix of high (> 1GHz band) and low (<1GHz band) bands
# Obligations that do not hinder innovation
# maintain and continue dynamic markets to ensure that consumers are well served
Minder drempels voor nieuwe mobiele telecombedrijven
Europe - EC has finally adopted its Recommendation on Next Generation Access or FTTx networks
[ec] The European Commission has adopted a Recommendation indicating to national telecoms regulators how they should regulate third-party competitive access to ultra-fast fibre networks (also known as 'next generation access' – NGA – networks) that bring high-speed broadband connections to homes and workplaces. Regulators should apply the new guidance in their daily decision making as soon as the text has been published in the EU's Official Journal. Under the telecoms Framework Directive they are obliged to take "utmost account of the Commission's Recommendation, justifying any departure from it. The Recommendation provides regulatory clarity to telecom operators, ensuring an appropriate balance between the need to encourage investment and the need to safeguard competition. It will help to stimulate investment in competitive high-speed broadband networks, which is a key objective of the Commission's Digital Agenda for Europe and Europe 2020 strategy. The Recommendation forms part of a package of broadband measures presented by the Commission today.
Broadband: Commission sets out common EU approach on ultra-fast broadband networks
Broadband: Commission sets out common EU approach on ultra-fast broadband networks
Europe - The EC has proposed a programme for harmonising spectrum for wireless broadband
[ec] A five year policy programme for planning and harmonising the use of the EU’s radio spectrum has been proposed by the European Commission. The proposal, which will be sent to the European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers for adoption, includes steps to promote efficient spectrum management, and in particular, to ensure that sufficient spectrum is made available for wireless broadband. This will significantly contribute to bringing fast broadband connections to people in remote areas, where it is not economically viable to install cable networks, and to making innovative services available across Europe. Wireless broadband is essential to deliver the target of broadband for all by 2013, one of the key goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe. More efficient and competitive use of spectrum in the EU would also promote the development of innovative technologies and services, to the benefit of consumers and of Europe's overall competitiveness. The proposal forms part of a package of broadband measures presented by the Commission today.
Spectrum: Commission proposes to ensure availability of radio frequencies for new and faster wireless services
Spectrum: Commission proposes to ensure availability of radio frequencies for new and faster wireless services
Europe - EC has set out steps for member states, local authorities and funding to support more and faster broadband
[ec] The European Commission has today outlined how best to encourage private and public investment in fast and ultra-fast broadband networks. These will be essential to realising the commitments in the Digital Agenda for Europe to give every European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra-fast broadband by 2020. In its Communication, the Commission calls on EU Member States to introduce operational broadband plans for high and ultra high speed networks with concrete implementing measures, it provides guidance on how to cut investment costs and indicates how public authorities may support broadband investment, including making better use of EU funds. It also announces plans by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to bring forward broadband finance instruments. The Communication forms part of a package of broadband measures presented by the Commission today (see IP/10/1142).
Bringing the high speeds to all parts of Europe will require substantial investment and enhance infrastructure competition. The Communication adopted by the Commission today outlines the policy and practical steps the Commission and Member States can take to trigger the €180 to € 270 billion of investment required to bring fast broadband to all households by 2020.
To achieve this, the Commission:
* Asks all Member States to adopt an operational broadband plan with concrete implementing measures including provisions for the necessary funding. Although many EU Member States already have a national broadband strategy, the Commission is calling on all Member State to ensure that they have fully operational plans for ultra-high speed networks with concrete implementing measures to achieve their targets
* Encourages Regional and Local Authorities to promote investment by reducing costs. It is estimated that around 80% of the costs of deploying new infrastructure are civil engineering costs and these can be greatly reduced by town planning and coordination measures and setting the right regulatory environment
* Announces plans by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to bring forward broadband finance instruments. Concrete proposals for new instruments will be unveiled by spring 2011. The European Investment Bank (EIB) already lends an average of €2bn each year to economically viable broadband projects. Recent beneficiaries have for instance included the French broadband operator Iliad, the Finnish operator DNA and the Portuguese operator Zon. The EIB's involvement in broadband financing is planned to increase as the Bank re-focuses its lending strategy on the Europe 2020 priorities. The EIB involvement will have a catalytic effect on other banks bringing in more funds for broadband and could underpin gross investment up to 15 times greater than the EIB's initial contribution.
* Promotes direct investment in infrastructure by public authorities in line with state aid rules .
* Stimulates the roll-out of broadband through better use of the EU's structural and rural development funds.
* Aims to accelerate the deployment of wireless technologies which offer broadband connections even faster than the Digital Agenda's target speed of 30Mbps speed and are cheaper than fixed line connections. To help accelerate this process, the Commission has adopted a Radio Spectrum Policy Programme jointly with the Broadband Communication.
Digital Agenda: Commission spells out plan to boost investment in broadband
Bringing the high speeds to all parts of Europe will require substantial investment and enhance infrastructure competition. The Communication adopted by the Commission today outlines the policy and practical steps the Commission and Member States can take to trigger the €180 to € 270 billion of investment required to bring fast broadband to all households by 2020.
To achieve this, the Commission:
* Asks all Member States to adopt an operational broadband plan with concrete implementing measures including provisions for the necessary funding. Although many EU Member States already have a national broadband strategy, the Commission is calling on all Member State to ensure that they have fully operational plans for ultra-high speed networks with concrete implementing measures to achieve their targets
* Encourages Regional and Local Authorities to promote investment by reducing costs. It is estimated that around 80% of the costs of deploying new infrastructure are civil engineering costs and these can be greatly reduced by town planning and coordination measures and setting the right regulatory environment
* Announces plans by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank to bring forward broadband finance instruments. Concrete proposals for new instruments will be unveiled by spring 2011. The European Investment Bank (EIB) already lends an average of €2bn each year to economically viable broadband projects. Recent beneficiaries have for instance included the French broadband operator Iliad, the Finnish operator DNA and the Portuguese operator Zon. The EIB's involvement in broadband financing is planned to increase as the Bank re-focuses its lending strategy on the Europe 2020 priorities. The EIB involvement will have a catalytic effect on other banks bringing in more funds for broadband and could underpin gross investment up to 15 times greater than the EIB's initial contribution.
* Promotes direct investment in infrastructure by public authorities in line with state aid rules .
* Stimulates the roll-out of broadband through better use of the EU's structural and rural development funds.
* Aims to accelerate the deployment of wireless technologies which offer broadband connections even faster than the Digital Agenda's target speed of 30Mbps speed and are cheaper than fixed line connections. To help accelerate this process, the Commission has adopted a Radio Spectrum Policy Programme jointly with the Broadband Communication.
Digital Agenda: Commission spells out plan to boost investment in broadband
europe - EC has published measures to boost the adoption of broadband in the EU
[ec] Three complementary measures to facilitate the roll out and take up of fast and ultra-fast broadband in the EU have been adopted today by the European Commission. This package comprises a Commission Recommendation on regulated access to Next Generation Access (NGA) networks that provides regulatory certainty to telecom operators, ensuring an appropriate balance between the need to encourage investment and the need to safeguard competition, a proposal for a Decision to establish a Radio Spectrum Policy Programme to ensure, inter alia, that spectrum is available for wireless broadband and a Broadband Communication outlining how best to encourage public and private investment in high and ultra-high speed networks. These measures aim to help the EU realise the commitments in the Digital Agenda for Europe to give every European access to basic broadband by 2013 and fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020. As outlined in the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, installing broadband infrastructure in Europe is essential to create jobs and prosperity.
Digital Agenda: Commission outlines measures to deliver fast and ultra-fast broadband in Europe
Digital Agenda: Commission outlines measures to deliver fast and ultra-fast broadband in Europe
Central Asia - The EC has expanded capacity for NRENs with EUR 5 million for CAREN
[ec] The European Commission today helped to increase the internet capacity available to researchers in the Central Asia region (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan). With the Commission's €5 million contribution to the Central Asia Research and Education Network (CAREN), the ancient Silk Road has been upgraded to a 21st century high-speed internet highway for research and education. Researchers, academics and students in the region now have access to high-capacity internet connections, offering them unrivalled opportunities to play a major role on the international research scene. With Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan also candidate countries to join the network, CAREN will link over half a million users at more than 500 universities and research centres.
Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission for the Digital Agenda said: "CAREN reflects the Commission’s strategy to address an important gap in Europe’s global infrastructure for research by providing high-capacity, yet cost-effective data communications links with Central Asia. It reduces the digital divide and contributes to the modernisation and development of research and education in the region.”
Digital Agenda: €5 million EU funding helps turn the ancient Silk Road into ultra-fast research and education highway
Neelie Kroes, Vice President of the European Commission for the Digital Agenda said: "CAREN reflects the Commission’s strategy to address an important gap in Europe’s global infrastructure for research by providing high-capacity, yet cost-effective data communications links with Central Asia. It reduces the digital divide and contributes to the modernisation and development of research and education in the region.”
Digital Agenda: €5 million EU funding helps turn the ancient Silk Road into ultra-fast research and education highway
eAccessability - a special issue of the epractice journal on this issue
[epractice journal] A special issue comprising:
Implementing eAccessibility as a service quality factor
Klaus Miesenberger
Present and future of eAccessibility in public digital terminals
Roberto Torena Cristóbal & José Ángel Martínez Usero
Accessible web design a burden? Lessons learned from the ACCESSIBLE
project
Karel Van Isacker, Mariya Goranova-Valkova, Eleni Chalkia, Evangelos Bekiaris, Konstantinos Votis & Dimitrios Tzovaras
Guidelines to implement the EU Services Directive: Framework and proof of concept
Frank Hogrebe & Ralf Lange
SMS information system: mobile access to justice
Ali Rıza Çam
Digital accessibility within the Brazilian context
João Batista Ferri de Oliveira & Everson Lopes de Aguiar
Implementing eAccessibility as a service quality factor
Implementing eAccessibility as a service quality factor
Klaus Miesenberger
Present and future of eAccessibility in public digital terminals
Roberto Torena Cristóbal & José Ángel Martínez Usero
Accessible web design a burden? Lessons learned from the ACCESSIBLE
project
Karel Van Isacker, Mariya Goranova-Valkova, Eleni Chalkia, Evangelos Bekiaris, Konstantinos Votis & Dimitrios Tzovaras
Guidelines to implement the EU Services Directive: Framework and proof of concept
Frank Hogrebe & Ralf Lange
SMS information system: mobile access to justice
Ali Rıza Çam
Digital accessibility within the Brazilian context
João Batista Ferri de Oliveira & Everson Lopes de Aguiar
Implementing eAccessibility as a service quality factor
Fiji - Internet penetration compares badly with other Pacific island states
[fiji times] FIJI'S Internet penetration rate is only 10 per cent compared to smaller countries like Niue, Tokelau and Tuvalu.
Commerce Commission chairman Dr Mahendra Reddy said while information and communication technology can have a profound impact on the economic growth and development of a country, ICT development in Fiji did not fare well when compared with our neighbours.
"In terms of Internet penetration, Fiji has a rate of 10.9 per cent as at 30 September 2009," he said.
"However, Australia and New Zealand have 80.1 per cent and 79.7 per cent respectively."
Dr Reddy said the Cook Islands had 42 per cent, French Polynesia 31.4 per cent, Guam 47.6 per cent, Micronesia 14.9 per cent, New Caledonia 37.4 per cent, Niue 62 per cent, Palau 26 per cent, Tokelau 58 per cent and Tuvalu at 34 per cent.
"This is quite worrying stats," he said. "Especially when for international communications, Fiji is directly linked to the Southern Cross Cable Network, a third generation submarine fibre optic cable system with direct links to Australia, New Zealand and the US West Coast via Hawaii."
Fiji lacks internet reach
Commerce Commission chairman Dr Mahendra Reddy said while information and communication technology can have a profound impact on the economic growth and development of a country, ICT development in Fiji did not fare well when compared with our neighbours.
"In terms of Internet penetration, Fiji has a rate of 10.9 per cent as at 30 September 2009," he said.
"However, Australia and New Zealand have 80.1 per cent and 79.7 per cent respectively."
Dr Reddy said the Cook Islands had 42 per cent, French Polynesia 31.4 per cent, Guam 47.6 per cent, Micronesia 14.9 per cent, New Caledonia 37.4 per cent, Niue 62 per cent, Palau 26 per cent, Tokelau 58 per cent and Tuvalu at 34 per cent.
"This is quite worrying stats," he said. "Especially when for international communications, Fiji is directly linked to the Southern Cross Cable Network, a third generation submarine fibre optic cable system with direct links to Australia, New Zealand and the US West Coast via Hawaii."
Fiji lacks internet reach
Australia - concerns raised by business over the lack of a cost benefit analysis for the NBN
[channel news] Labor’s much loved National Broadband Network has been slammed by a leading online entrepreneur a leading business executive and been likened to "giving everyone a Ferrari" when they might be content with driving a Commodore”.
Graeme Wood, the founder of the online travel bookings service Wotif.com and the opening keynote speaker at the recent World Computing Congress said that the National Broadband Network had the potential of being a "$43 billion hi-tech babysitter".
Also slamming the NBN costing is Vocus Communications, chief executive James Spenceley, who likened the NBN to "giving everyone a Ferrari" when they might be content with driving a Commodore.
Wood questioned the value of pouring taxpayer funds into a data speedway that most households would use to download games and movies.
Communications and Broadband Minister, Stephen Conroy, and NBN Co boss, Mike Quigley, are now under pressure to explain their costing which are now facing a chorus of industry criticism.
Woods told the Australian newspaper "If all you're doing is speeding up the rate at which we entertain ourselves, can you justify that from a public expenditure point of view?".
"Is there any value to society in just delivering entertainment faster . . . to have more dots on the screens? The public debate hasn't been had, not just in terms of the GDP impact of broadband, but on the costs (and) benefits to society."
Billionaire miner, Andrew Forrest, has also slammed Labor's refusal to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed network.
"I worry about the NBN because that hasn't even got a feasibility study on it," Mr Forrest, founder of Fortescue Metals Group, told an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce function in Sydney. "That $40bn - is it the best technology? To build it without a study . . . as a mum or a dad, you should be scared."
NBN Broadband Costings Slammed By Experts & Entrepreneurs
Graeme Wood, the founder of the online travel bookings service Wotif.com and the opening keynote speaker at the recent World Computing Congress said that the National Broadband Network had the potential of being a "$43 billion hi-tech babysitter".
Also slamming the NBN costing is Vocus Communications, chief executive James Spenceley, who likened the NBN to "giving everyone a Ferrari" when they might be content with driving a Commodore.
Wood questioned the value of pouring taxpayer funds into a data speedway that most households would use to download games and movies.
Communications and Broadband Minister, Stephen Conroy, and NBN Co boss, Mike Quigley, are now under pressure to explain their costing which are now facing a chorus of industry criticism.
Woods told the Australian newspaper "If all you're doing is speeding up the rate at which we entertain ourselves, can you justify that from a public expenditure point of view?".
"Is there any value to society in just delivering entertainment faster . . . to have more dots on the screens? The public debate hasn't been had, not just in terms of the GDP impact of broadband, but on the costs (and) benefits to society."
Billionaire miner, Andrew Forrest, has also slammed Labor's refusal to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed network.
"I worry about the NBN because that hasn't even got a feasibility study on it," Mr Forrest, founder of Fortescue Metals Group, told an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce function in Sydney. "That $40bn - is it the best technology? To build it without a study . . . as a mum or a dad, you should be scared."
NBN Broadband Costings Slammed By Experts & Entrepreneurs
USA - Schools are one of the anchor tenants for high speed broadband with 1 Gbps hubs
[ars technica] A big component of the Federal Communication Commission's national broadband strategy is to turn "anchor institutions"—schools, libraries, and government buildings—into 1Gbps hubs of community access for high speed Internet. The agency took that agenda one step further on Tuesday by announcing that schools and libraries will soon be able to use E-Rate funds to obtain access to unused fiber-optic connections around the country, sometimes known as "dark fiber" lines.
"With these fiber networks, schools and libraries can provide students and communities with cutting-edge connectivity, while at the same time saving millions of dollars by bypassing more expensive options," the draft proposal explains.
FCC to fast track fiber to schools and libraries
"With these fiber networks, schools and libraries can provide students and communities with cutting-edge connectivity, while at the same time saving millions of dollars by bypassing more expensive options," the draft proposal explains.
FCC to fast track fiber to schools and libraries
UK - CLA has launched a charter to try to improve broadband in rural areas of the United Kingdom
[web user] A new charter to help tackle problems caused by slow broadband connections in rural areas has been launched by a campaign group.
The Country, Land and Business Association (CLA) has launched an Internet Charter that aims to tackle the problem of poor broadband services in rural areas.
The charter was unveiled at the Penrith & the Border Broadband Conference and highlights the problems faced by surfers in remote areas when dealing with oversized email attachments and complex websites.
The 10-point plan contains advice to website designers and those simply sending emails about how to avoid adding to the problem of "cyber congestion".
The CLA's head of Rural Business Development, Dr Charles Trotman said: "Until everybody can access an acceptably fast connection, organisations must consider all end users when they send emails or have design work done on their websites.
"While not wishing to stifle creativity, we feel there is no need for organisations to use every feature in their software or to pad out their information with oversized and irrelevant graphics.
"Many people ignore or simply forget that a lot of users are still on dial-up. It is often difficult for farmers and other rural businesses to comply with government regulations to file their tax returns online," he continued.
One solution for surfers with poor broadband connections could be Opera Turbo, technology built in to the Opera browser that can reduce the size of a webpage by up to 80 per cent.
Figures released this week by Opera showed that 5.2 million surfers worldwide used the feature in August, with 25.8 billion webpages compressed using Opera Turbo in the last 12 months.
"Prior to the launch of Opera Turbo, we expected that this technology would be adopted first and foremost by those with dial-up connections and limited broadband," said Lars Boilesen, chief executive of Opera Software.
"We are delighted to see Opera Turbo helping users to power-up in a wide variety of countries for a wide variety of needs. It is rewarding to celebrate the anniversary of Opera Turbo with such significant speed gains and cost savings for users across the globe," he continued.
Cyber congestion targeted by web charter
The Country, Land and Business Association (CLA) has launched an Internet Charter that aims to tackle the problem of poor broadband services in rural areas.
The charter was unveiled at the Penrith & the Border Broadband Conference and highlights the problems faced by surfers in remote areas when dealing with oversized email attachments and complex websites.
The 10-point plan contains advice to website designers and those simply sending emails about how to avoid adding to the problem of "cyber congestion".
The CLA's head of Rural Business Development, Dr Charles Trotman said: "Until everybody can access an acceptably fast connection, organisations must consider all end users when they send emails or have design work done on their websites.
"While not wishing to stifle creativity, we feel there is no need for organisations to use every feature in their software or to pad out their information with oversized and irrelevant graphics.
"Many people ignore or simply forget that a lot of users are still on dial-up. It is often difficult for farmers and other rural businesses to comply with government regulations to file their tax returns online," he continued.
One solution for surfers with poor broadband connections could be Opera Turbo, technology built in to the Opera browser that can reduce the size of a webpage by up to 80 per cent.
Figures released this week by Opera showed that 5.2 million surfers worldwide used the feature in August, with 25.8 billion webpages compressed using Opera Turbo in the last 12 months.
"Prior to the launch of Opera Turbo, we expected that this technology would be adopted first and foremost by those with dial-up connections and limited broadband," said Lars Boilesen, chief executive of Opera Software.
"We are delighted to see Opera Turbo helping users to power-up in a wide variety of countries for a wide variety of needs. It is rewarding to celebrate the anniversary of Opera Turbo with such significant speed gains and cost savings for users across the globe," he continued.
Cyber congestion targeted by web charter
UK - Cumbria has seen considerable interest in providing high speed broadband
[computer weekly] Villagers and farmers could soon have access to digital "parish pumps" if ideas set out over the weekend to deliver high-speed broadband to Cumbrian communities are fulfilled. But politics at national and local levels may make it harder than it need be.
This emerged from a conference aimed at giving Cumbria close to universal access to high speed broadband by 2012, and possibly 100Mbps access by 2015.
The conference came a day before the International Telecommunications Union called on world leaders to commit their countries to make access to high-speed broadband a basic human right and to treat it as essential to economic growth.
Several speakers proposed installing optical fibre links to street cabinets in nearly all Cumbrian villages, and to allow villagers to decide and pay for the wireless or fibre link from the cabinet to their homes and/or businesses. Villagers could dig and install the (fibre) ducts themselves, they said.
Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and The Border, who organised the conference, said there were a number of proposals to give Cumbria "next generation access" (NGA). He said Huawei, one of the conference sponsors, had offered to provide equipment for street cabinets for the project.
"Virgin Media had offered to 'light up' Temple Sowerby (an Eden Valley village about 12km east of Penrith). British Telecom has come in with a bid for the whole constituency, and Commemdium too has a very exciting idea about using the electric pylons," he said.
Most local speakers on the platform and the floor supported the proposal, with many indicating impatience with BT's service up to now.
Bill Murphy, CEO of Openreach, the regulated BT division responsible for communications infrastructure, said he was looking for £10m in public money to build a pilot high-speed broadband network to serve 85,000 premises in Cumbria in 30 months, less than 20% of the region's population.
He also indicated a willingness to compete for the business. "It is not about the technology; it is about the services and the business models that support and sustain it. If we do bid for something, we go to win," he said.
The conference attracted 264 delegates and two American speakers who described how the US formulated its $7.2bn national broadband plan, and how it plans to deliver broadband access to rural communities.
Cumbria is one of a number of local authorities bidding to host one of three pilot studies funded by Broadband Delivery UK. BDUK’s aim is to identify reproducible technologies and processes that deliver a minimum 2Mbps broadband service.
Official statistics suggest that up to one-third of the population might never get high-speed broadband without public sector support. This is because they live too far from a BT street cabinet to make the required investment economically viable.
Some 99% of Cumbrians have access to a 2Mbps broadband service as a result of the £26m Project Access contract that BT won. But as more people have subscribed to the service, it has degraded to the point where some receive a 50kbps or less service at busy times.
There are also a number of short-distance fibre networks, some of which use the Cleo (Cumbrian and Lancaster Education Online) schools fibre network for backhaul. But these are capped by restrictions on the use of public sector networks by "civilians".
BDUK has some £200m from the unspent money set aside for the Digital Switchover for TV broadcasts, and access to around £1bn from the government's Next Generation Fund.
It plans to use some of this to fund the three pilots that were announced at the broadband industry day in July, and to use it to attract matching fund from suppliers, the government's Rural Development Programme and the European Commission's various development funds.
Fierce competition for Cumbrian NGA broadband project
This emerged from a conference aimed at giving Cumbria close to universal access to high speed broadband by 2012, and possibly 100Mbps access by 2015.
The conference came a day before the International Telecommunications Union called on world leaders to commit their countries to make access to high-speed broadband a basic human right and to treat it as essential to economic growth.
Several speakers proposed installing optical fibre links to street cabinets in nearly all Cumbrian villages, and to allow villagers to decide and pay for the wireless or fibre link from the cabinet to their homes and/or businesses. Villagers could dig and install the (fibre) ducts themselves, they said.
Rory Stewart, MP for Penrith and The Border, who organised the conference, said there were a number of proposals to give Cumbria "next generation access" (NGA). He said Huawei, one of the conference sponsors, had offered to provide equipment for street cabinets for the project.
"Virgin Media had offered to 'light up' Temple Sowerby (an Eden Valley village about 12km east of Penrith). British Telecom has come in with a bid for the whole constituency, and Commemdium too has a very exciting idea about using the electric pylons," he said.
Most local speakers on the platform and the floor supported the proposal, with many indicating impatience with BT's service up to now.
Bill Murphy, CEO of Openreach, the regulated BT division responsible for communications infrastructure, said he was looking for £10m in public money to build a pilot high-speed broadband network to serve 85,000 premises in Cumbria in 30 months, less than 20% of the region's population.
He also indicated a willingness to compete for the business. "It is not about the technology; it is about the services and the business models that support and sustain it. If we do bid for something, we go to win," he said.
The conference attracted 264 delegates and two American speakers who described how the US formulated its $7.2bn national broadband plan, and how it plans to deliver broadband access to rural communities.
Cumbria is one of a number of local authorities bidding to host one of three pilot studies funded by Broadband Delivery UK. BDUK’s aim is to identify reproducible technologies and processes that deliver a minimum 2Mbps broadband service.
Official statistics suggest that up to one-third of the population might never get high-speed broadband without public sector support. This is because they live too far from a BT street cabinet to make the required investment economically viable.
Some 99% of Cumbrians have access to a 2Mbps broadband service as a result of the £26m Project Access contract that BT won. But as more people have subscribed to the service, it has degraded to the point where some receive a 50kbps or less service at busy times.
There are also a number of short-distance fibre networks, some of which use the Cleo (Cumbrian and Lancaster Education Online) schools fibre network for backhaul. But these are capped by restrictions on the use of public sector networks by "civilians".
BDUK has some £200m from the unspent money set aside for the Digital Switchover for TV broadcasts, and access to around £1bn from the government's Next Generation Fund.
It plans to use some of this to fund the three pilots that were announced at the broadband industry day in July, and to use it to attract matching fund from suppliers, the government's Rural Development Programme and the European Commission's various development funds.
Fierce competition for Cumbrian NGA broadband project
Ireland - Opposition to the masts for rural wireless broadband by county councillors
[irish examiner] The roll out of broadband in the North West is facing bad reception in the area.
Leitrim councillors are meeting later to discuss whether to begin a legal challenge to the erection of two broadband masts in the county.
More than 90 locals in the Aughnacashel and Carrigallen areas have objected to the two masts being sited in Leitrim.
They say the masts are within 500 metres of four homes and 300 metres of a group water scheme.
Leitrim County Councillors are holding a special meeting later to discuss whether to mount a legal challenge to An Bord Pleanala's decision to give the masts the green light.
3G, the company behind the masts, has said it is working on behalf of the Government to bring broadband to rural areas.
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/leitrim-councillors-consider-challenge-against-broadband-masts-474599.html#ixzz10Ffn0Sk6
Leitrim councillors consider challenge against broadband masts
Leitrim councillors are meeting later to discuss whether to begin a legal challenge to the erection of two broadband masts in the county.
More than 90 locals in the Aughnacashel and Carrigallen areas have objected to the two masts being sited in Leitrim.
They say the masts are within 500 metres of four homes and 300 metres of a group water scheme.
Leitrim County Councillors are holding a special meeting later to discuss whether to mount a legal challenge to An Bord Pleanala's decision to give the masts the green light.
3G, the company behind the masts, has said it is working on behalf of the Government to bring broadband to rural areas.
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/leitrim-councillors-consider-challenge-against-broadband-masts-474599.html#ixzz10Ffn0Sk6
Leitrim councillors consider challenge against broadband masts
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