1. National regulatory framework - key technological decisions
and the effect on the diffusion of broadband services
on rural areas in Greece
Dimitrios G. Xenikos Dept. of Humanities, National Technical Univ. of Athens

2. ` Broadband access in rural areas? Typical case Core network:
optical fiber
Access network:
copper (tel + xDSL)
wireless (tel + WiMAX)

3. Broadband access
1,7
1,6
1,5
1,4
1,3
1,2
1,1
1,0
0,9
0,8
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0,0
ADSL ports
(x )
18 k
116 k
250 k
753 k
1.457 k
1.550 k
1.200 k
ΑΤΜ
Ethernet
650 k
653 k
780 k
Every home in Greece has a telephone connection (universal service)
PSTN + ISDN: ~ subscribers
Fixed wireless Access: ~ subscribers

4. Bandwidth needs
Metropolitan area - A household with ~24 Mb/s could enjoy:
IPTV service: Mb/s,
Gaming: Mb/s,
Video-telephony: Mb/s,
Fast internet: Mb/s
On-the-move:
emphasis on mobility (services with reasonable bandwidth / , browsing, gaming…)
Rural areas:
emphasis on portability (rather than bandwidth).

5. Can/ Does the regulator promote certain technologies?
What is the most appropriate access method for rural areas and islands?
Examine 2 cases:
Fixed access
Mobile access
Can/ Does the regulator promote certain technologies?
Allocation of 2.5 GHz band
Favor FTTH over FTTC/FTTB or VDSL2

6. Fixed access
Fixed wireless access
FTTC (cabin)
FTTB (building)

7. Comparison ADSL2+, VDSL, VDSL2, FFTH
FTTH
(coverage)
Distance from Point-of-Presence (km)
Greek Cu network could be an “intermediate case”
between Norway and Germany

8. Regulation: Fiber-to-the-?
OTE substitutes gradually Cu with fiber,
targeting FTTC + VDSL2
Networks with distributed PoP are very hard to be regulated
Regulator + ministry favor FTTH (not FTTC or FTTB)
Long term project stops a short term investment
Huge cost FTTH. Absorbed by whom?
Very complicated technically (OPEX)
RURAL AREAS (huge CAPEX + OPEX) ???

9. Wireless access WiFi mesh + backhaul (fiber, DSL, WiMAX, p-t-p link…)
Mobile network
(3G, WiMAX)

10. Case of Fixed Wireless Access

11. Wireless access (substitution 2G systems with WiMAX, use same infrastructure)

12. Regulation: frequency allocation
The band was used for universal service (allocated to OTE till 2020)
2G Fixed wireless systems implemented by OTE (serving 70,000 households)
The regulator recalled it in 2006 (by law)
Public consultation for re-allocation of the band
“Intention” to allocate it to (at least) the 3 mobile operators
Fixed operator ->Mobile operators
All existing 2G systems should be upgraded (~60 million Euros)
Cost absorbed by whom?

13. Save EKKE, NHRF and NCRS Demokritos
Proposal
Regulation + ministry may promote/ demand:
Fiber to the Community (independent of population)
There is one way to fix smth and a million ways to destroy it
Save EKKE, NHRF and NCRS Demokritos