Overview of the broadband developments in County Donegal (Ireland) and the challenge of meeting the High Speed Broadband targets of the Digital Agenda For Europe (DAE)

Brian BoyleERNACT 21st Anniversary, Brussels, 18th

September 2012

INDEX

• County Donegal• Broadband Progression• Next challenge: High Speed Broadband• Where to aim ? : Finnish ENGAGE partner example

• North West Ireland• Border region• Population: 161,137• Area: 4,841 km2

• Low density population: 33.28 people/km2

• Scattered population

County Donegal

Donegal

County Donegal, www.donegal.ie

• No market competition• Low availability :• Low Speeds: • Services: email, limited on-line

services.

BROADBAND PROGRESSION

Year 2002

• Widespread broadband availability :• Competition in market place• Fibre,DSL, Fixed Wireless, Mobile Services• Services: web 2.0, eGovernment, social

media, eLearning, eWorking, eCommerce, VoIP

Year 2012

Evolution

BROADBAND PROGRESSIONSOME SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS

•New Backhaul Connections•Metropolitan Area Networks (MANS)•Cross Border Interconnects•CNS Wireless Broadband project•National Broadband Scheme•Rural Broadband Scheme•Telecommunications Operator Initiatives•Project Kelvin

Starting Point

Second Backhaul Connection

Metropolitan Area Networks Project

KMsLetterkenny 28.4Donegal Town 13.8Buncrana 10.4Ballybofey / Stranorlar 9.8Ballyshannon 11.8Bundoran 11.5Carndonagh 4.3

Total 90 km

Total Costs €16.1m

Donegal Co Council Contribution €1.75m

Cross-border Backhaul Interconnects

ESB Telecom

BT (Ireland)

EircomBT IrelandNWE

NWE

BT (UK)

ByTel

NTL

ESB Telecom

NWE

Eircom

Derry

Buncrana

New Kelvin Link

Bridgend

Letterkenny

Community Network Services (CNS)

Fixed Wireless Service

Speeds up to 50MB available

Funded by IFI, InterReg,Donegal County Council, Udaras Na Gaeltachta

National Broadband Scheme (NBS)

EU co-funding under the ERDF 2007-2013 Current NBS Service Specifications, Upload 1.2 – 4Mbps, Download 1.6 –

6.8Mbps Specification from Oct 2012, Upload 1.4 – 4.8Mbps, Download 2.3 – 10.4Mbps

Project Kelvin – Linking Ireland NW to North America and Europe

NEXT CHALLENGE : HIGH SPEED BROADBAND

• Changes in the way of consuming information:• More interactive (social media)• Higher data demanding (video, pictures,…)• New HSB services:

• Business: cloud computing, virtual teams,…• Householders: IPTV, video on demand, online gaming• Public services: eHealth, eEducation, …

• HSB is key for knowledge-based growth• Absence of HSB will generate digital divide

Why High Speed Broadband?

NEXT CHALLENGE : HIGH SPEED BROADBAND

Digital Agenda targets

20202013

100% coverage of ≥30Mbps

100% internet coverage

50% households take-up of ≥100Mbps

NEXT CHALLENGE : HIGH SPEED BROADBAND

• National Broadband Plan• FTTx based technology (even if using LTE for “last mile”)• Non – commercial interest for private telecom providers:

• Return of investment is not clear• Lower demand

• Rationale: social return of investment • New financial models are needed (private-public

partnership, community based models,…)

Bigger challenge for rural areas

Ireland - National Broadband Plan

70Mbps - 100Mbps to more than half of the population by 2015

At least 40Mbps to at least a further 20% to 35% of the population by 2018

A minimum of 30Mbps for every remaining home and business in the country by 2020

Mapping Exercise to define the level of investment Leveraging investment from both the private and

public sectors

ACHIEVABLE – ENGAGE Project

Southern Ostrobothnia, Finnish partner in ENGAGE Density: 8,8 inhabitants/km2 • Formed by 55 villages (50-500 inhabitants per village)• Open access FTTx network owned by municipalities• Over 2000 households and businesses with FTTH-

connection• Many customers getting 100 Mbits/s symmetrical

connections• Possiblility to choose among 6 ISPs• Financed with bank loans, regional, national & EU-funds and

money coming from the end-customers

Question: Is this achievable in my region? Answer: Others have done it.