Thursday Evening Links > EU rolls out their own broadband stimulus pkg

The European Commission unveiled guidelines Thursday specifying how public funds can be used to help companies roll out high-speed broadband networks, and help EU countries benefit from new technologies.

Under the rules, state aid would be easier to obtain for projects in so-called grey areas where broadband infrastructure does not exist such as rural regions, and more difficult for "black areas" or cities with more than one network operator.

The EU executive has pledged to make high-speed Internet an important element of its economic recovery plan to drive growth in the 27-nation bloc and hopes to achieve 100 percent broadband coverage in the European Union by 2010.

"We see a potentially crucial role for the state wherever private investors are not rolling out fiber networks which can be continually upgraded and are open to competition," said director Ilsa Godlovitch from the European Competitive Telecommunication Association (ECTA).

The Commission said 200-300 billion euros ($295 billion to $443 billion) would be needed in coming years for building NGA networks.

It said recipients of state aid would have to allow competitors access to its networks and not favor any particular technology.