Broadband availability

1. Broadband availability UNDERSTAND conference Brussels, 17-03-05 David Osimo, Regione Emilia-Romagna Broadband

2. Description of broadband domain Broadband infrastructure: we measure the supply of broadband, that is the extent to which citizens and businesses can use broadband access if desired. The focus here is on availability rather than on take up, as this is covered in other sections. OECD definition for broadband:downstream services of at least 256Kbps. Further distinction between below and above 2Mbps, which is considered “the real broadband”. “Benchmarking eEurope” didn’t include any indicator on broadband availability, but EU regions added it as a key domain to measure and to act on. Broadband

3. Regions gathering data on broadband Vasternorrland Broadband

4. Methodology • Domain is very difficult to measure, data are considered as very sensitive. • Multi-dimensional data collection strategy: • Direct interviews with: • Telecom/ISP providers in the region • Survey of websites of: • National research networks • Main European telecom access providers • Public administration • Secondary sources. • Main sources for methodology: Italian Observatory on Broadband, ORTEL, ESPON project. Broadband

5. Difficulties arised Data availability due to sensitive data. In some countries (I, F, partially E) data provision is easier and more objective due to the existence of specific national or regional initiatives involving all providers in exchanging data. The very availability of data is in itself an index of the transparency of the market. Data availability due to existence of data. In some countries, especially where regions are less consolidated, operators do not elaborate their data at the regional level but only at national / subnational. No comparable data on broadband availability exist even at the national level. Therefore, data are very difficult to collect in this field and today’s data are to be considered as work in progress. However, this lack of data is not a problem we have to live with. Regions and other P.A. invest in broadband project, and need data to manage policies. Specific initiatives exist in some countries to provide reliable data. Broadband

6. Key issues on broadband infrastructure Broadband

7. Broadband coverage In every region, around 90% of the people/business can access broadband, BUT only very few can have 2Mbps or more (17% in E-R, 14% in WPO, 28% of business in YFO). In Valencia LMDS covers 44.7% of the companies, in Emilia-Romagna HDSL (max 2Mbps) covers 93% of the companies. In Yorkshire , Valencia, and Wielkopolska, about half of the population/business can choose between different technologies, mainly due to wireless solutions (LMDS/WLL and WiFi/WiMax) and Cable TV. In Emilia-Romagna, technology is very much based on twisted pair (different DSL types) and some fibre (FTTH) offers. At the moment, commercial wireless offer to individuals/business is concentrated in urban areas. Broadband

8. Technology competition Broadband

9. Providers competition: competition in access more than in backbone • Many access providers in every region: high competition in Internet access (min 25 max 48). Every citizen can choose between different access providers. • Very few data on Local Loop Unbundling, although this is strategic to provide higher-level broadband. • Much fewer providers of backbone services / carrier’s carrier: 17 in Emilia-Romagna; 2, 5 and 9 in the other regions. Where there is more technology competition (Valencia and Yorkshire), there’s less fibre backbone competition. • Data on broadband market share of the incumbent are not available in many regions, only at the national level: Spain 55.85; Italy 60.37, UK 26.38 (EC 2004). Broadband

10. Different role of national research and education network (NREN) Broadband

11. Pan-european operators The regional presence of operators such as Telia, Colt, etc, shows different patterns, mostly related to the geographical position of the regions: Valencia and Yorkshire have 5 to 7 operators with many POPs in the regions, Wielkopolska and Emilia-Romagna have 2 with few POPs. Map source: CURDS 2004, ESPON project 1.2.2, Final report, www.espon.lu Broadband

12. Public policies for broadband infrastructure • Regional governments invest in broadband infrastructures. In Valencia and Emilia-Romagna, there are 1 / 2 big regional investments in broadband infrastructure (hundreds of M€); in Yorkshire there are 8 smaller ones; in Wielkopolska there are no actual investments but preparation. • Public access points are available in the large majority of municipalities in Valencia (85%), Emilia-Romagna (73%) and Yorkshire (100% but very large munic.), not so in Wielkopolska (35%). Only seldom they offer broadband above 2 Mbps. • Hot-spots are very popular in Yorkshire (461), and they start to develop in Emilia-Romagna (87), Valencia (77) and Wielkopolska (29). Data are however patchy. • TAKE-UP of broadband: see other presentations on government, business, citizens. Broadband

13. Conclusions • Competition and coverage is now good in standard broadband access provision, now problems lie in: • Coverage of the remaining +-10% of the population via alternative technologies. • Real broadband (above 2 Mbps) for the majority of population and business. • ADSL is everywhere, but other technologies vary greatly from one region to another • Public sector plays important role as an investor and as a user. • Present data are to be considered a work-in-progress • Data on broadband infrastructure are as difficult to collect as they are necessary for policy-making Broadband