Broadband Community Networks

The Operational Knowledge Society Programme launched a public call for tenders for Broadband Community Network projects from February to April 2006. It was mandatory for the project promoters to be public entities, which would then bear 55% of the total costs.

Broadband Community Network projects must be neutral in terms of the competing technological solutions (e.g. copper, fibre-optic, GSM/GPRS, UMTS, FWA, WiMax, Power Line, etc.). They must demonstrate their economic sustainability and provide identical access to all operators in tenders to operate them. They have the potential to harness existing infrastructures belonging to municipal water companies or other municipal companies and to complement communication infrastructures set up in the scope of Digital Cities and Regions projects in regions that meet the given conditions for this type of network.

Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) set up and operates the Technical Support Commission (CAT) foreseen in the regulation for the respective POSC measure to support proponents in developing the application process and to monitor implementation of the projects that are approved.

Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) organised a workshop on 14th July 2006 on the following topic: Development of Broadband Services - From Installing Infrastructures to the Effective Use of Advanced Services. The work was organised around two types of cases: local and regional public networks, and national research and education networks. Cases in other countries were presented at the workshop, namely those of municipal broadband networks in the United States of America, local public broadband networks in various regions of France and fibre-optic networks in the cities of Almere in the Netherlands and Stockholm in Sweden.

4 Broadband Community Network projects were approved in April 2007 – Broadband Community Network for the "Terra Quente" area in Trás-os-Montes, District of Évora Community Network, Vale do Minho Community Network, Valimar Net – for a total sum of 34 million Euros. Taken as a whole, the projects intend to construct networks of over one thousand kilometres of fibre-optic cable and include the first New Generation Networks built in Portugal, which enable very broadband connections and services supported by fibre-optics, namely between 1 Gbps and 10 Gbps. Another important New Generation Network, which was built some years ago, is the Science and Education Network, the RCTS - Technology and Society Network, managed by the FCCN - Foundation for National Scientific Computation and funded by the POSC Knowledge Society Operational Programme and by Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC).

The main objectives of Broadband Community Networks are to fight e-exclusion, promoting equal opportunities and public broadband access in the region, to rectify asymmetries in telecommunications accessibility, and to develop entrepreneurial technological and scientific initiatives in the region. They generally connect the municipal seats of the municipalities concerned, public buildings and buildings of public interest, higher education institutions, technological centres and industrial areas and estates.

The District of Évora Community Network project was launched on 8th May 2008 with the signature of the respective construction contracts at a public ceremony chaired by the Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education (text in Portuguese), José Mariano Gago.

On 9th July 2008, when all projects were already in the construction phase, Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) held a meeting for all promoters of Broadband Community Network projects (text in Portuguese). These promoters are municipal associations from the areas covered. The objective of the meeting was to exchange information on the solutions found and the progress and difficulties in carrying out the projects, plus reflection on how to plan future activities.

Watch the weekly progress of Broadband Community Network projects >>

Map with the locations of Broadband Community Network projects

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Source: Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC)

In summary, the four Broadband Community Network projects involve the following:

• Broadband Community Network for the "Terra Quente" area in Trás-os-Montes
  The project is promoted by the Association of Municipalities of the "Terra Quente" area in Trás-os-Montes and involves 6 municipalities: Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Mirandela and Vila Flor. It foresees linking up intermunicipal projects for culture, leisure and telemedicine, together with IT integration of the various Santa Casa da Misericórdia institutions, telemanagement of various public urban and forest CCTV networks, linking up with the "Fun Zone Village Douro" and facilitating connectivity with the RCTS - Technology and Society Network, which serves the higher education and research institutions in the area covered.
  
  Its main objectives are to encourage the spread of the fight against e-exclusion, promoting equal opportunities and universal public broadband access, to develop entrepreneurial technological initiatives, to galvanise ICT training and mass use of ICT by the population by promoting e-services and highly-qualified management practices and to correct telecommunications accessibility asymmetries.
  
  The promoter is responsible for developing and laying the entire project, with technical aid provided by Bragança Polytechnic Institute.
  
  The projected technological option foresees a 235-km fibre-optic infrastructure.
  
  
  
  
  
• District of Évora Community Network
  The project is promoted by the Association of Municipalities of the District of Évora (AMDE) and takes in 14 municipalities: Alandroal, Arraiolos, Borba, Estremoz, Évora, Montemor-o-Novo, Mora, Mourão, Portel, Redondo, Reguengos de Monsaraz, Vendas Novas, Viana do Alentejo and Vila Viçosa. It foresees linking up intermunicipal planning projects for culture, leisure and the knowledge triangle (education, research and innovation), extending industrial estates and areas, an agricultural, agro-industrial and tourism aspects project for the Évora distinct with the Évora Digital District project and the BDIG project – Geographic Information Database, and it foresees connectivity with the RCTS - Technology and Society Network, which serves the higher education and research institutions of the area covered.
  
  Its main objectives are to fight e-exclusion, promoting equal opportunities and universal public broadband access in the region, to rectify asymmetries in telecommunications accessibility, and to develop entrepreneurial technological and scientific initiatives in the region.
  
  The planned technological option foresees a main 452-km long fibre-optic ring as seen from above with a 26-km stretch underground to the Universidade de Évora.
  
  
  
  
  
• Vale do Minho Community Network
  The project is promoted by the Vale do Minho Intermunicipal Community and covers 5 municipalities: Melgaço, Monção, Paredes de Coura, Valença and Vila Nova de Cerveira. It foresees linking up with the Vale do Minho Digital project and the wind farm network, the Valença Logistic Platform and the Business Estates Network.
  
  Its main objectives are to encourage the spread of Information Technologies, to develop entrepreneurial technological initiatives , to attract private operators so as to enable economic development in the region, and to correct asymmetries with regard to telecommunications accessibility.
  
  The promoter is responsible for carrying out and laying the service, with technical aid provided by Viana do Castelo Polytechnic Institute.
  
  The projected technological option foresees a 135-km fibre-optic infrastructure.
  
  
  
  
  
• Valimar Net
  The project is promoted by Vale-e-Mar Urban Community (VALIMAR ComUrb) and involves 6 municipalities: Arcos de Valdevez, Caminha, Esposende, Ponte da Barca, Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo. It foresees linking up with the Infrastructure Development and Expansion Plan (Viana do Castelo Fibre-Optic Ring), Parquemp – Network of Business Estates and Complexes, with the Valimar Digital project, the Padre Himalaia Knowledge Complex, Renewable Energy Projects (biomass and wind power), and the Viana do Castelo Polytechnic Institute’s Virtual Campus.
  
  Its main objectives are to encourage the spread of Information Technologies, to promote the staying-power of the knowledge and qualification stemming from this project at Viana do Castelo Polytechnic Institute, and to develop entrepreneurial technological initiatives in the region.
  
  The promoter is responsible for carrying out and laying the service, with technical aid provided by the Viana do Castelo Polytechnic Institute.
  
  The projected technological option foresees a 240-km fibre-optic infrastructure.