Afrodite Sevasti Greek Research and Technology Network CEF Workshop Prague, 25 May 2004

1. Municipality Fibre Networks in Greece and the benefits for GRNET Afrodite Sevasti Greek Research and Technology Network CEF Workshop Prague, 25 May 2004

2. Introduction • In Greece, due to various reasons and delays, the use of fibre by the academic research networks is still very limited • One IRU contract for 8 Km of 3 fibre pairs in Athens • Recent de-regulation of telecommunications (2000) • Establishment of fibre infrastructures both from the public (National Railway Organization, Public Electricity Enterprise) and the private sector • Isolated strands of fibre mainly along inter-city routes • Fibre rings in Athens • The Greek government has under implementation a plan for the creation of fibre networks by all major municipalities in Greece. Metropolitan Fibre Networks (MFNs) CEF Networks Workshop

3. MFNs framework • The idea behind this initiative comes from similar activities in Europe: • The Swedish initiative for establishment of open access fiber infrastructures – the STOKAB paradigm • The Regional Broadband Program carried out by the Irish government • Construction of carrier-neutral open access MANs • Co-location space, ducts, a number of drop-point connections • Related activities and the Greek market have been studied by the Greek Broadband Task Force • The Program for the implementation of MFNs has been announced • Funding • European Regional Development Fund, DG REGIO • Greek government • Program Operator • Information Society, Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance • Request for Proposals #93 CEF Networks Workshop

4. Request for Proposals #93 • Establishment and exploitation of optical fibre networks from public entities • Funding of 36M€ • Building metropolitan networks based on • Population figures • Number of points of public interest • Municipalities with at least 20 public points of interest in a radius of 20km from the city center are eligible for funding • Implementation starts at the end of 2004 and will be completed-the latest-by 2006 CEF Networks Workshop

5. MFN deployment • Deployment of telecommunications infrastructure for local access in decentralized rural areas in order to: • Stimulate competition • Reduce barriers to entry • Enable freedom of telecommunications • Improve quality of life by using the infrastructure for e-health,e-education and e-commerce • Advancement and support for enterprise activities • Alignment to the principles of «eEurope 2005, An information society for all», for safe content and application services based on broadband infrastructures CEF Networks Workshop

6. Goals • Broadband access to all Public Administration entities, health institutions, universities, schools, libraries, museums by 2005 • Establishment of public, open, sustainable infrastructures • Ability to support applications that require really broadband connectivity (teleconferencing, telemedicine, tele-education, e-commerce, e-government, content distribution) • Access for less developed areas CEF Networks Workshop

7. Benefit for GRNET GRNET today • GRNET customers are eligible as drop points in MFNs • The interconnection of MFNs by the GRNET backbone will be possible in a national level • The GRNET customers’ access loops will reside in the MFNs • The backbone will continue to be provided by GRNET • Current status: through lease of lambdas • Long term goal for GRNET is to obtain IRUs for long-haul fibre infrastructure Planned topology CEF Networks Workshop

8. Business model • Local Administration Authorities (i.e. municipalities) build and own the infrastructure • Rights of way are thus ensured • Implementation of the infrastructure is supervised by the Technical Consultant • A Legal Entity undertakes the responsibilities for lease of fibre, support and management of the infrastructure • Telecommunication services’ providers are not allowed to undertake the management of these infrastructures • Cost-based management and pricing CEF Networks Workshop

9. Implementation • Borrows from the Irish MAN rings model • Specifications of trench, ducts, sub-ducts, fibre, interconnection/drop points, passive equipment • Number of fiber cable pairs per sub-duct is a design issue • Minimal active optical devices for access of main public buildings • Ring topology • Resilience to failures • The ring topology will be designed on per-case basis to cover as many sites of pubic interest as possible • A hierarchy of concentration and access points is considered CEF Networks Workshop

10. Example study • Municipality of Patras • University of Patras • Public Administration facilities • 8 Schools • Port authorities • Municipality • Prefecture • 3 Hospitals • 3 Educational & research institutes CEF Networks Workshop

11. Business plan • Exploitation of the infrastructure in order to provide competitive broadband services • Management and deployment within the municipal area, while at the same time ensuring viability • Possibility of long term lease of fibre pairs (IRUs) for private use in order to obtain cost-based revenues for the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure • Only to a small percentage • Memorandum of association of the legal entity for the exploitation of the infrastructure CEF Networks Workshop

12. Next steps • GRNET future architecture will resemble those of CESNET, Pionier and other NREN owned-fibre networks • Gradual migration to a leased-fibre network • We are open to suggestions regarding the topology and architecture of the optical infrastructure • We intend to exploit the technical know-how earned from pioneering NREN owned-fibre networks CEF Networks Workshop