European Digital Agenda says that by 2013 all EU citizens
should have access to broadband internet. The access speed will rise in the
next 7 years, until 2020, to at least 30 Mb/s for all households.
Poland faces ambitious challenges with respect to the
implementation of the European Digital Agenda.
As part of the EU funds, Poland has been granted almost
€1.5 billion for the development of broadband infrastructure in 2007-2013,
including 300 million for the program Broadband Network for Eastern Poland.
Poland has utilized a small part of the EU funds.
EU’s complex procedures, approaching deadline for
implementation of projects and the threat of digital exclusion (concerning
particularly Eastern Poland) are additional pressure factors on local
representatives.
The level of internet development in Poland depends
largely on their effectiveness and efficient cooperation with telecommunication
companies and relevant players in the ICT ecosystem.
Following the initiative of TP Group, Alcatel-Lucent and
HAWE, an agreement has been signed, in which the signatories have the
technological assets, professional experience in the telecommunications
industry and knowledge of the specificity of the Polish market.
The intention of the agreement is the cooperation with
local governments in order to develop the broadband infrastructure in Poland.
This will contribute to the implementation of the European Digital Agenda and
eliminate the digital exclusion within the Eastern Polish region.
Priority task is to develop a model of EU funds
absorption and implementation of ICT broadband projects, covering the phases of
network design, construction and operation, addressing the needs of Eastern
Poland voivodships” (regional governments) and other selected regions in
Poland.
The openness of telecommunication companies to cooperate
with local government, to share know-how and experience to reach the common
goal, represents a new model on the Polish market.
The resulting initiative confirms the strategic interest
of key telecommunications companies having the appropriate skills and assets to
implement advanced infrastructure projects, aiming at the development of the
information society and the related increase of the GDP through access to ICT
services.
By Telecomlead.com Team
editor@telecomlead.com
