Brussels, 17/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - One of the objectives set by the EUROPE 2020 strategy as regards digital policy provided for basic broadband access for all citizens of the European Union by 2013. This has now been achieved - two months ahead of the 31 December deadline - the European Commission was pleased to announce on 17 October. This objective was achieved thanks to the satellite connections that are now available in all EU member states and that have enabled coverage for the 3 million households (0.6% of EU homes) that did not have access to basic broadband. “My motto is Every European Digital - now every European genuinely has the opportunity (…) Thanks to the extra coverage provided by satellite broadband, we have achieved our 2013 target of broadband for all. That's a great result for European citizens”, said European Commissioner for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes. While Kroes is delighted about the digital safety network, the European Commission underlines, however, that the essential objective to be achieved is the deployment of fast broadband.
On Thursday, Kroes took part in the launching of a new website (http://www.broadbandforall.eu ) at the European Parliament. The website has been created by ESOA (the European Satellite Operators Association) in collaboration with the European Commission, and aims to facilitate European citizens' access to the internet by satellite. This is an option that is little known and therefore little used. “The EU is technology neutral, but for those in the most isolate areas, satellite is a good option to stay connected”, said Kroes. There are currently 148 satellites providing services to Europeans in the 28 member states - the latest to have access being the Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians. The latest generation of satellites, so-called strong capacity satellites, has revolutionised broadband access by significantly increasing connection speeds and the number of users possible while reducing the cost for the consumer (the basic price per month for a satellite connection of 20Mbps is €25). The head of ESOA and CEO of Eutelsat, Michel de Rosen, highlighted the benefits of satellites - unlike with terrestrial networks, internet and television by satellite can reach populations living in very isolated territories and so this technology also brings them the possibility of connecting to broadband. Satellites are also extremely useful in the case of climate disasters that damage terrestrial infrastructures because satellites enable the very quick recovery of communications. Lambert Van Nistelrooij MEP (EPP, Netherlands), who attended the website presentation, commented that “the immediate deployment of broadband everywhere in Europe, implemented before the deployment plans for terrestrial networks were finalised, clearly favours the creation of jobs and a boost to the rural and peripheral areas across Europe”.
Kroes, however, warned that basic broadband is not sufficient and that fast broadband should be the next goal as it is essential for a truly connected continent. “Europe needs lightning-speed connectivity. We cannot leave some companies and citizens behind. Now we have basic broadband achieved, we have to immediately focus on investing in new fast networks”, she said. The Commission has set fast broadband coverage (30Mbps) by 2020 as the next objective. (IL/transl.fl)