The European Broadband Competence Office (BCO) Support Facility is now up and running in Brussels. The facility will support the work of the European network of Broadband Competence Offices that was announced by the European Commission in 2016. The main mission for 2017 is to contribute to the creation, consolidation and animation of the BCOs network in Member States.

The BCOs aim to create and disseminate knowledge to national and regional actors on how to invest effectively in broadband projects and to exchange good practices in rolling-out of high-speed broadband internet, notably into rural areas. It forms part of the EU’s Broadband Europe initiative.

The launch event of the BCO network will take place on 20 November 2017 in Brussels, followed by the 2017 European Broadband Awards. This year, for the first time, the awards will include a new category dedicated to ‘territorial cohesion in rural and remote areas’.