Broadband Community Networks

Broadband Community Network projects must be neutral in terms of the competing technological solutions (e.g. copper, optic fibre, 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.

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

The Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) organized a workshop on 14th July 2006 on the 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 optic fibre networks in the cities of Almere in the Netherlands and Stockholm in Sweden.

In April 2007, 4 Broadband Community Networks projects were approved for a total sum of 34 million Euros: "Terra Quente Transmontana" Broadband Community Network, “Distrito de Évora” Broadband Community Network, Minho Valley Broadband Community Network, Valimar Net. Taken as a whole, the projects intend to construct networks of over 1,000 Km of optic fibre cable and include the first Next Generation Networks (NGN) built in Portugal, which enable high speed broadband connections and services supported by optic fibre, namely between 1 Gbit/s and 10 Gbit/s. Another important NGN, which was built some years ago, is the Science and Education Network managed by the FCCN – Foundation for National Scientific Computation and funded the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) and the Knowledge Society Operational Programme.

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 access to telecommunications, and to develop entrepreneurial technological and scientific initiatives in the region. They generally connect the town halls of the municipalities concerned, public buildings and buildings of public interest, public schools, higher education institutions, technological centres and industrial parks

The “Distrito de 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, José Mariano Gago.

On 9th July 2008, when all projects were already in the construction phase, the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) convened a meeting with all promoters of Broadband Community Network projects. These promoters are municipal associations of the covered areas. 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.

On the 12th of February 2009, the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) brought together all the promoters of Broadband Community Networks in a Workshop. In this 3rd Workshop on Community Broadband Networks, organized by UMIC following the two earlier ones held in July 2006 and July 2008, the issues discussed were the operation of such networks, the optimization of business models and the provision of advanced services over broadband. The workshop was attended by public policy experts in telecommunications for the future from the established partnerships seeking to build Knowledge Networks with North American universities, in particular researchers of the Carnegie Mellon – Portugal Program which, besides contributing to research and university education within these programs participate in this way in this important aspect of the development of Broadband Community Networks in several regions of the Portugal. The workshop was also followed through videoconference by students of Syracuse University, Massachusetts, USA, interested in following this development taking place in Portugal.

At a time when operators take the first decisive steps for Next Generation Networks (NGN) and the issues related to investment, management and business models of such networks are discussed, two types of advanced NGN promoted by public authorities with the support of the Knowledge Society Agency (UMIC) – the Broadband Community Networks for e-Inclusion, and the Science, Technology and Society Network for e-Science (see 1st NGNs Available in Portugal in the Research and Higher Education System and in 4 Rural Areas) – were already well developed.

The “Distrito de Évora” Broadband Community Network was officially presented on 15th July 2009, in a ceremony with the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, José Mariano Gago (see One of the First Next Generation Networks in Portugal Presented at Évora).

Watch the weekly progress of Broadband Community Network projects >>

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

• "Terra Quente Transmontana" Broadband Community Network
  The project is promoted by the Municipal Association of the "Terra Quente Transmontana" and involves 6 municipalities: Alfândega da Fé, Bragança, Carrazeda de Ansiães, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Mirandela and Vila Flor. It is intended to have connections with intermunicipal projects for culture, leisure and telemedicine, as well as with the IT integration of the several Santa Casa da Misericórdia installations, the telemanagement of several public urban and forest video-surveillance networks and the "Fun Zone Village Douro", while providing connectivity with the RCTS – Science, Technology and Society Network, which serves the higher education and research institutions in the area covered.
  
  Its main objectives are to fight e-exclusion, promoting equal opportunities and universal public broadband access, to develop entrepreneurial technological initiatives, to promote ICT training and the generalization ICT use by promoting e-services and highly-qualified management practices, and to correct telecommunications access asymmetries.
  
  The promoter is responsible for developing and implementing the project, with the technical aid of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança.
  
  The projected layout involves 235 Km of optic fibre infrastructure.
  
  
  
  

• “Distrito de Évora” Broadband Community Network
  The project is promoted by the Municipal Association of the “Distrito de Évora” and includes 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 intends to connect with intermunicipal planning projects for culture, leisure and the knowledge triangle (education, research and innovation), with expansions of industrial parks, with the agricultural, agro-industrial and tourism project for the “Distrito de Évora”, with “Distrito Digital de Évora” project, and with the Geographic Information Database project, 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, to correct telecommunications access asymmetries, and to develop entrepreneurial technological and scientific initiatives.
  
  The projected layout involves a 452 Km aerial optic fibre ring and a 26 Km underground connection to the University of Évora.
  
  
  
  
  
• Minho Valley Broadband Community Network
  The project is promoted by the Minho Valley Intermunicipal Community and covers 5 municipalities: Melgaço, Monção, Paredes de Coura, Valença and Vila Nova de Cerveira. It intends to connect with the Digital Minho Valley do Minho project and the wind power farm network, the Valença Logistic Platform and the Industrial Parks Network.
  
  Its main objectives are to encourage the wide use of Information Technologies, to develop entrepreneurial technological initiatives, to attract private operators so as to enable economic development in the region, and to correct telecommunications access asymmetries.
  
  The promoter is responsible for developing and implementing the project, with the technical aid provided by the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo.
  
  

  The projected layout involves a 135 Km optic fibre infrastructure.
  
  
  
  

• Valimar Net
  The project is promoted by the “Vale-e-Mar” Urban Community and involves 6 municipalities: Arcos de Valdevez, Caminha, Esposende, Ponte da Barca, Ponte de Lima and Viana do Castelo. It intends to connect with the Infrastructure Development and Expansion Plan (Viana do Castelo Optic Fibre Ring), with the Enterprise Parks and Poles Network, with the Digital Valimar project, with the Padre Himalaia Knowledge Park, with the Renewable Energy projects (biomass and wind power), and with the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo Virtual Campus.
  
  Its main objectives are to encourage the wide use of Information Technologies, to promote the transfer of know-how stemming from this project to the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, and to develop entrepreneurial technological initiatives in the region.
  
  The promoter is responsible for developing and implementing, with the technical aid provided by the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo.
  
  The projected layout involves a 240 Km optic fibre infrastructure.