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 Boyle ERNACT 21 st Anniversary, Brussels, 18 th 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 km 2 Low density population: people/km 2 Scattered population County Donegal Donegal

County Donegal,

No market competition Low availability : Low Speeds: Services: , 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 PROGRESSION SOME 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 KMs Letterkenny 28.4 Donegal Town 13.8 Buncrana 10.4 Ballybofey / Stranorlar 9.8 Ballyshannon 11.8 Bundoran 11.5 Carndonagh 4.3 Total 90 km Total Costs €16.1m Donegal Co Council Contribution €1.75m

Cross-border Backhaul Interconnects

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 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 % 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 ( 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.