Broadband Stimulus Germany
Over €150M is available for broadband stimulus opportunities in Germany through the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), the "Joint Task for the Improvement of Agricultural Structures and Coastal Protection" (Gemeinschaftsaufgabe "Verbesserung der Agrarstruktur und des Küstenschutzes" - GAK) and the "Joint Task for the Improvement of Regional Economic Structures" (Gemeinschaftsaufgabe Verbesserung der Regionalen Wirtschaftsstruktur - GRW). The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology has developed a broadband stimulus plan to improve the quality of broadband and specifically address the following two goals:
1. Gaps in broadband penetration are to be eliminated and broadband access made available nationwide by the end of 2010.
2. A total of 75 percent of households are to have Internet access with transmission rates of at least 50Mbit/s by 2014. This level of high-speed broadband access is to be rolled out nationwide as quickly as possible.
Working together with the federal states (Länder), local authorities and industry, the federal government intends to achieve these goals by focusing on the following four areas:
1. Capitalizing on synergies in the construction of infrastructure,
2. Using the "digital dividend" from analog radio with supportive frequency allocation policies,
3. Formulating regulation that fosters investment and growth, and
4. Providing appropriate financial support.
Timelines
The first phase of the strategy is to ensure broadband access for all households in Germany by 2010. The government follows the telecom industry demands for using digital dividend to enable operators to deploy wireless and mobile broadband services in rural areas, currently without broadband coverage via fixed networks like DSL or cable.
The second phase of the broadband strategy is to ensure that 75 percent of German households have access to a broadband connection of at least 50Mbit/s by 2014.
The government has unveiled 15 measures to be taken during the next weeks and months to support the broadband strategy, including opening up all existing networks from federal, state and local governments, as well as of companies for third parties to use plus an auction of digital dividend frequencies between 790 and 862 MHz, the spectrum that was freed up with transition from analog to digital radio. The government will also use funds from its second economic stimulus plans plus the joint GAK and GRW plans to ensure broadband coverage in areas where commercial parties fail.
Germany's largest alternative operator Vodafone has also reacted positively to the broadband strategy, and its CEO Friedrich Joussen said that the operator will continue to invest in expanding its mobile and fixed broadband networks supporting the government in its strategy.
Sources
ADVA Optical Networking’s Broadband Stimulus Advantage
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ADVA Optical Networking has supplied leading-edge optical products into access providers such as: Deutsche Telekom/T-COM, Telecom Italia/Hansenet, Telefonica/O2 and many other regional and city service providers. With temperature hardening, multi-reach optics and passive optical network options, ADVA Optical Networking has a deep understanding of optical requirements in access and backhaul applications addressing future-proof technology developments such as WDM-PON.