The SFERA FP7 project results: Providing support & guidance to European regions

1. Improving the Deployment of Innovative Broadband Networks in European Regions The SFERA FP7 project results: Providing support & guidance to European regions Andreia Moreira | Antonio Alfaro innovacion@telecomclm.es SFERA Annual Conference 2009

2. SFERA: The Project • SFERA is a two-year action intended to assist European Regions on opportunities to make optimum use of Structural Funds for the deployment of innovative Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) networks of the future, and R&D infrastructures S tructural F unds E uropean R egional A dvancement SFERA Annual Conference 2009

3. SFERA: The Consortium • TELECOM CASTILLA-LA MANCHA - Spain • ARIES - Romania • ASTER - Italy • ASTRIUM - France • BASSCOM - Bulgaria • IVSZ - Hungary • ROSE VISION - Spain • SES-ASTRA - Luxembourg SFERA Annual Conference 2009

4. SFERA: Mission & Goals SFERA aims at assisting Member States and Regions in the efficient use of Structural Funds for innovative ICTs that can bridge the digital divide of underserved areas SFERA Annual Conference 2009

5. Agenda The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) The Structural Funds (SFs) The Broadband situation: Past, present and Future SFERA project: main outcomes SFERA Annual Conference 2009

6. The Framework Programme • Research: 7th Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration activities (FP7) FP7 with a total budget of over € 50 billion for the period 2007-2013 is the EU instrument specifically targeted at supporting research and development. It provides funding to co-finance research, technological development and demonstration projects based on competitive calls and independent peer review of project proposals. Support is available for collaborative and individual research projects as well as for the development of research skills and capacity. Since the 1980s, the successive Research Framework Programmes have played a lead role in multidisciplinary research and cooperative trans-national R&D activities in Europe and beyond. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

7. Agenda The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) The Structural Funds (SFs) The Broadband situation: Past, present and Future SFERA project: main outcomes SFERA Annual Conference 2009

8. Cohesion Funding 2007-2013 Total Budget: € 347 billion SFERA Annual Conference 2009

9. Cohesion Policy: Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund (SF) The purpose of the Structural Funds (European Regional Development Fund – ERDF and European Social Fund - ESF) and the Cohesion Fund is to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion by reducing disparitiesin the level of development among regions and Member States. Each region or Member State has developed, in discussion with the Commission and in partnership with all relevant private and public stakeholders, operational programmes that cover the entire programming period 2007- 2013. Many thematic areas are supported by the Structural Funds, including research, innovation and enterprise for which EU funding in the period 2007-2013 will be above € 86 billion. The allocation of funds in a given Member State or region varies according to its level of development. However, most regions will have some funding available from the Structural Funds in support of Research, Technological Development and Innovation (RTDI). Unlike FP7 and CIP, the management of the Structural Funds is decentralised to regional or national bodies. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

10. ICT in the Community: Strategic Guidelines for Cohesion • Ensure availability of ICT infrastructurewhere the market fails to provide it at an affordable cost, especially in remote and rural areas and in new Member States. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

11. Agenda The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) The Structural Funds (SFs) The Broadband situation: Past, present and Future SFERA project: main outcomes SFERA Annual Conference 2009

12. Digital divide in the Past ADSL in Seseña SFERA Annual Conference 2009

13. Present and future (I) Forecasts for Spain (report issued by the Spanish Telecommunications Commission) recently concluded that… • After the commercial-technical analysis performed in Spain, it is expected that a “market-driven” broadband network development would end in a new (and even deeper) digital divide by 2020. • Depending on the scenario: What by 2020 will be considered broadband, will only be available for less than 50% of Spanish citizens • Which is our future in rural regions? More “Seseña cases” than before? Is there any way to overcome this severe problem that threatens our future? SFERA Annual Conference 2009

14. My town… is not interesting and will not have broadband Present and future (III) Areas with potential market interest where broadband is expected in 2020 SFERA Annual Conference 2009

15. Present and future (II) SFERA Annual Conference 2009

16. Present and future (IV) High coverage. Incumbent operator High coverage. alternative operator Best scenario >60% >50% Low coverage. Incumbent operator Low coverage. alternative operator Worst scenario >30% >40% SFERA Annual Conference 2009

17. Present and future (V) • A purely market-driven model threatens to leave tens of millions of European citizens on a permanent digital divide. Therefore provoking a major economical and social divide among urban and rural regions in Europe and provoking a clear and unjustified discrimination. • Fortunately, there are ways in which this future can be avoided • Hybrid terrestrial/satellite solutions represent a technical and economical feasible option to quickly connect wide areas with low population density where other operators will not find interest from a market perspective. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

18. Agenda The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) The Structural Funds (SFs) The Broadband situation: Past, present and Future SFERA project: Main outcomes SFERA Annual Conference 2009

19. Analysis of use cases. The rural broadband extension Benchmarking analysis: ICT in the Regions Analysis of Regional Strategies in Structural Funds Programming Creation (and support) of the ICT Structural Funds Council SFERA Annual Conference 2009

20. Benchmarking analysis: ICTs in the Regions SFERA Annual Conference 2009

21. Hungary Romania Bulgaria Analysis of previous successful European projects and initiatives Identification of indicators to define a methodology Regional Benchmarking analysis comparing Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania regional indicators against Emilia Romagna region SFERA Annual Conference 2009

22. Main results of the benchmarking analysis • Identification of a set of Technical, Economical and Regulatory indicators at National and Regional level: WP1 activities have highlighted the need to launch initiatives to collect regional data for ICT indicators: To better categorize the underserved regions To make a better use of the structural funds for the development of telecommunication network suitable especially for convergence countries. Technical indicators: 20 at national level, 12 at regional level (local initiatives) Economical indicators: 2 at national level, 3 at regional level, 5 at regional level Regulatory indicators: 4 at national level • Identification National/Regional stakeholders responsible for the regulation and the development of ICT technical infrastructures for each target country: 16 for Italy 10 for Bulgaria 14 for Hungary 14 for Romania SFERA Annual Conference 2009

23. Analysis of use cases. The rural broadband extension Benchmarking analysis: ICT in the Regions Analysis of Regional Strategies in Structural Funds Programming Creation (and support) of the ICT Structural Funds Council SFERA Annual Conference 2009

24. Analysis of Regional Strategies in Structural Funds Programming SFERA Annual Conference 2009

25. Analysis of Regional Strategies in Structural Funds Programming • Review of Structural Funds regional strategies and Operational Programmes • Focusing on development objectives that could require use of ICT technologies, particularly broadband access, networks infrastructures and services, satellite technologies and applications • Help regions in accessing the latest opportunities (1B€ released by DG AGRI) • Targeted Regions: • SFERA participating countries (France, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary): convergence and competitiveness regions • Interregional programmes (INTERREG): • cross border, transnational, inter-regional programmes SFERA Annual Conference 2009

26. Main results of the regional analysis • Structural Funds rules investigated in 6 countries highlighting different approaches in regional development • 20 Operational Programmes analyzed with respect to the potential use of ICT/future network/future Internet solutions in regional strategies • Identifying and defining relevant case studies to put into practice actions for coordinating ICT RDI and Regional Development • Elaborating roadmap for case study implementation in cooperation with the authorities of Region or group of Regions selected Case study: satellite hybrid networks used in Hungary for e-health applications Case study: Broadband for education in rural and remote areas (Romania) Case study: deploying the hybrid wireless technologies to provide broadband access in rural areas (Spain) Case study: Wireless terrestrial in cities’ outer skirts through WiMAX (Bulgaria) Case study: fostering the deployment of a DTT satellite-based network to assure 100% coverage for remote rural regions (Spain) Case study: the usage of satellite communications coupled with wireless for environmental monitoring (Italy) SFERA Annual Conference 2009

27. Analysis of use cases. The rural broadband extension Benchmarking analysis: ICT in the Regions Analysis of Regional Strategies in Structural Funds Programming Creation (and support) of the ICT Structural Funds Council SFERA Annual Conference 2009

28. Overview and best-of analysis on the state-of-the-art technologies and integration scenarios for successfully bridging the Digital Divide in rural underserved areas of Europe Analysis of use cases. The rural broadband extension SFERA Annual Conference 2009

29. Provide a complete overview on the state-of-the-art technologies and business cases for successfully bridging the Digital Divide in rural underserved areas of Europe. Launch an innovative data collection: “Broadband Atlas”. The prototype shows in an interactive graphical map system the state of the digital divide in EU regions. Main results of the analysis of use cases SFERA Annual Conference 2009

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31. Regional business cases: the rural broadband extension SFERA has identified business case scenarios for new innovative broadband services. The business cases describe opportunities for successfully bridging the Digital Divide in rural underserved areas. These scenarios have been developed for Hungary, Italy, Romania and Bulgaria focusing analysis on target groups, technologies and impacts. SFERA Annual Conference 2009

32. Hungary > Bács-Kiskun County > Bugac plain Bulgaria > Gorna Bela Rechka village Italy > Emilia-Romagna region SFERA Annual Conference 2009

33. Analysis of use cases. The rural broadband extension Benchmarking analysis: ICT in the Regions Analysis of Regional Strategies in Structural Funds Programming Creation (and support) of the ICT Structural Funds Council SFERA Annual Conference 2009

34. Strategic agenda and key objectives for the development of the ICT in Regions by a efficient use of Structural Funds Recommendations on positive policies for supporting the development of ICT in regions Position papers about demand aggregation, state aid, SF management process, best practices to support ICT RTD, among others The SF-ICT Council was officially launched in July 2008 After one year and some months the Council has… More than 100 participants from: associations, industry & operators, research institutions, universities, regional entities Belgium Germany Romania Spain Luxembourg France United Kingdom Bulgaria Czech Republic Austria Hungary Finland Netherlands Poland Italy Greece Portugal Slovenia SFERA Annual Conference 2009

35. 100 members Creation (and support) of the ICT Structural Funds Council SFERA Annual Conference 2009

36. After 2 years, what where SFERA main contributions? Creation of the ICT Structural Funds Council: Advice on the definition of policies, objectives and strategic plans Recommend hybrid terrestrial/satellitesolutions as an economically viable option to quickly connect wide areas of territory and to offer democratic access to broadband communications to a large number of users. Learn from the best practices: Selection of case studies and business scenarios that provide information on basic and innovative services and efficient use of SFs for ICTs (maintaining neutrality among networks and technologies). Provide decision support tools and help RAs in: Being updated with the latest technology developments and having a clear vision on possible solutions implemented or ready to be implemented SFERA Annual Conference 2009

37. Some of the SFERA supporters SFERA Annual Conference 2009

38. Some points to remember and challenges for the future 1 The EC is determined to bridge the ‘broadband gap’, but there is still a long way to go through to reach the goal of a100%coverage of broadband internet! Regional Authorities play a crucial role on SF concerning ICT infrastructure investments and BB services and need to be updated on: • The most adequate solutions – ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL • In-depth evaluation of different technological solutions proposedand financing alternatives available While more developed regions keep moving faster through their continuous innovation efforts, the underserved areas keep being left behind their. 2 3 SFERA Annual Conference 2009