Title: Czech Case Study
1Czech Case Study
- Pavel Gnip, Karel Charvat, CCSS
2aBard
- Analysing Broadband Access for Rural Development
(A-BARD) is a 24 month Coordination Action
started in January 2005 to research rural
broadband provision and use, as part of the
Scientific Support to Policies ( SSP ) in the EU
Sixth Framework Programme. - A-BARD aims to continuously identify views on the
issues and barriers to widespread broadband
provision and the extent to which broadband can
act as an external driver of change in rural
economies. - Targeted to the needs of rural communities A-BARD
addresses questions close to eRural actors such
as - Rural broadband deployment in rural Europe
issues, models, best practices, affordability and
acessibility? - Broadband Applications and Services what is
emerging and can some of those applications and
services directly address the digital divide?
3A-BARD www.a-bard.org Analysing Broadband
Access for Rural Development
- A-BARD (Analysing Broadband Access for Rural
Development ) - Coordination Action to research rural broadband
provision use - Part of the Scientific Support to Policies (SSP)
in the EU Sixth Framework Programme - During 2005 2006, A-BARD will continuously
identify - Views on the issues barriers to widespread
broadband provision - How broadband can act as a driver of change in
rural economies - Partners
- National Microelectronics Application Centre Ltd
(MAC) Ireland - Ceske Centrum Pro Strategicka Studia
(CCSS) Czech Republic - Institute of Communication Information
Technologies Ltd (ITTI) Poland - Mainstrata (MSTR) Spain
- Cybermoor (CYBM) UK
- North West Labs Ltd (NWLabs) Ireland
- Power Lake AB (PLAB) Sweden
4Project Overview
- A-BARD Goals
- Focus enhance awareness understanding of the
benefits of broadband applications services
deployment in rural areas - Facilitate the exchange of experience best
practice to rural stakeholders and interests - Identify the institutional policy frameworks
that are delaying roll-out - Identify areas where further RTD is needed to
provide universal solutions
5Key questions that A-BARD will address include
- What applications and services exist ?, what is
emerging ?, how ?, when ? who
should implement the solutions ? - When will they be accessible and affordable in
rural areas ? - What socio-economic aspects need to be considered
- to ensure that meaningful applications and
services development and implementation takes
place in rural areas?
6Project Vision
- To create a European Technology Platform
involving stakeholders of the whole eRural value
chain, in order to achieve the objectives fixed
by the Lisbon Strategy and eEurope initiative
7A-BARD target audience
- Users (Actual or potential) of broadband
services, applications and technologies in rural
areas, local public and private sectors actors - Local, regional, national and European policy
makers, -
- Local, regional, national and European
authorities - Fellow EU broadband projects and other European
networks clusters.
8What is the situation of community Internet
access in the country, which layers of society
does the Internet reach?
- Rapid change during last year
- Potential coverage of all population by broadband
(CDMA, EDGE, ADSL, cable TV) - Usage Internet by companies on relatively high
level - Usage of Internet by citizens still low under
European average (there is not direct relation
between coverage and usage) - Main users urban citizens, young people,
urbanized rural areas (areas around large cities)
9Who are the protagonists of Internet access State
- Ministry of Informatics National Broadband
Strategy - In 2005 Ministry supported Internet access by
grants 25M Euro - Regions for example Vysocina Rowanet Project
building fiber network in rural region - Municipalities networks build on the base of
grants
10Who are the protagonists of Internet access
Business
- Czech Telecom (ADSL)
- Alternative operators (GITY, etc)
- Cable TV main internet providers in big cities
- Mobile operators (play important role because
they offer flat rate for GPRS, CDMA and EDGE) - Regional and local operators
11Who are the protagonists of Internet access
Communities
- FreeNet local networks organized by citizens
12What is their service profile?
- Key role on market
- Mobile operators CR has penetration of mobile
phones 110.For Web they offer flat rate services
- Cable TV flat rate services
- Grooving importance of ADSL in last year
13What is their service profile?
- Municipalities
- Free or paid services to local business and
citizens - FreeNet
- Services for members of network and access using
WIFI
14What are the consequences of sustainability?
- Internet start to play important role in rural
development. - Vysocina case documented, that investment to
infrastructure and application could improve
situation in all regions - Internet start to be important not only for new
commence, but start play role also in such
applications like agriculture
15What are the consequences of sustainability?
- Entertainment and young people play important
role in usage of Internet and need of better
connectivity, but it has also influence on rest
of population - Demand is slowly grooving
16Are there any national characteristics?
- Flat rate of mobile operators for data services
- FreeNet model
17Potential problems
- Education of population (mainly rural)
- Awareness
- Till now limited access in some areas
- Needs for applications
18Questions Answers