Information Society Industry :: Communications :: Broadband
Broadband
The widespread use of broadband - high-speed, always on internet access - is vital to achieving productivity gains in the European economy and maximising the gains to society from eHealth, eGovernment and more.
Overview ¦ Example Projects
Benefits of broadband for rural areas and less developed regions
The move to broadband fundamentally changes the Internet experience - phenomena as diverse as 'user generated' content sites and advanced 'digital ecosystem' technologies (see the eBusiness theme) would probably not have appeared without widespread, high-speed, always-on connections. Europe's citizens, patients and students, moreover, will only reap the rewards of the Information Society once broadband access is commonplace (see the e-government, health and education & training themes).
In October 2005, Europe overtook the USA in terms of the number of broadband lines
Broadband access, in other words, has become a prerequisite for everything from economic growth to social inclusion. While broadband penetration rates in Europe are still behind the world’s leader (South Korea), a concerted effort has seen broadband take-up rise fast over the past few years, with growth rates of around 70%. In October 2005, Europe overtook the USA in terms of the number of broadband lines, while 2006 saw a record number of new broadband connections.
Yet progress is uneven - broadband has yet to reach some of the EU’s less-developed areas. In 2005, broadband was available to only about 60% of businesses and households in the remote and rural areas of the EU15, compared to over 90% in the urban areas. In the new Member States, the gap is even greater.
Where it is available, moreover, broadband speeds are often lower in rural areas, reducing the performance of the available services. While widespread broadband could help bridge gaps in today's society, this inequality could actually make them worse.
Action is needed at regional, national and European level to close this digital divide and ensure everyone can access the Information Society, regardless of where they are. The EU is helping Member States learn from each others' experiences and coordinate their activities, as well as combining all of its own policy instruments towards this goal.
Further Details and Quicklinks
- Policies
- Activities
- See Also
- Relevant Policies
-
- i2010: the 'Single
European Information Space' pillar combines regulatory and
other instruments to create a modern, market-oriented regulatory
framework, while the
Inclusion, better public services and quality of life
pillar promotes an inclusive European Information Society.
- Hence "Bridging the Broadband Gap", a Communication (March 2006), followed by a Conference and Exhibition (May 2007), aiming to ensure that all regions have access to broadband. See also the Regions theme.
- Europe's Electronic Communications regulatory framework is pro-competition, which ensures that competitive forces drive broadband prices down;
- Radio Spectrum Policy: radio spectrum is an important resource for providing broadband wireless access, and so requires careful and coordinated management across Europe;
- European Space Policy: the space sector is part of the solution to getting broadband access to everyone in Europe, particularly remote regions;
- Europe's Unbundling the Local Loop legislation was a key step in stimulating competition in providing broadband over telephone networks;
- Modern agricultural policy needs to take the economic, social and environmental potential of information and communication technologies into account. This is why the EU’s rural development funds today also provide for funding. Also European Regional Policy actively fosters further broadband deployment to bridge the digital divide.
- i2010: the 'Single
European Information Space' pillar combines regulatory and
other instruments to create a modern, market-oriented regulatory
framework, while the
Inclusion, better public services and quality of life
pillar promotes an inclusive European Information Society.
- Relevant Activities
-
Research: see the Research & Innovation theme for an introduction to EU Research, browse some relevant Example Projects, or jump straight to the following research sites:
- Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures is one of the seven main challenges for ICT research during the 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7, 2007-2013);
- Under the preceding Sixth Framework Programme (FP6, 2002-2006), the Broadband for All Strategic Objective funded research into broadband technologies.
- See Also
-
From the Broadband Newsroom and Library:
- Press Factsheets:
- Factsheet 13: Principles of the New Regulatory Framework (pdf)
- Factsheet 14: How the New Regulatory Package Works (pdf)
- Factsheet 22: How Radio Spectrum Policy: Unleashing Europe's Wireless Potential (pdf)
- Factsheet 23: Stimulating Mobile Broadband Services (pdf)
- Report: Measuring the Economic Impact of Broadband (pdf): A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
For the latest relevant news, publications and more from the Newsroom & Library, see right hand column, or select IS Industry when you subscribe to the Portal Newsroom Update.
Last Updated March 2007