Development of broadband Internet access in Poland
2004-01-08
The Ministry of Infrastructure (MI) in co-operation with the Science and Information Ministry has prepared a project for a "Sieæpospolita" strategy (aimed at developing bradband Internet access in Poland) for the years 2004-2006. The authors of the strategy claim that broadband access represents a qualitative change for the user in terms of use of Internet content and services, and that developing access infrastructure is one of the conditions for rapidly narrowing the gap between Poland and European Union member states. By 2006 there will be almost 1.6 mln broadband Internet access users in Poland - so predicts the government in its three-year strategy plan for developing this medium. "Sieæpospolita" assumes that the dominant Internet access technology in Poland will be DSL (which uses regular telephone cables). In the course of the next two years (after the digital modernization of the TP SA network) the conditions will be in place ensuring that all of Poland and its population will have access to such fast Internet access. At that time approximately 1.1 million people will use this form of access. This will include 350,000 users of cable television Internet access (currently this service is available to 1.4 million households) and several dozen thousand people using less popular technologies.
The abovementioned predictions are strongly in line with TP SA forecasts. According to recent data published by TP SA, its broadband Internet service Neostrada attracted a total of 180,000 users in Poland in the first ten months of 2003. TP SA officials still predict this service to have 220,000 users at the end of 2003. In 2006 this figure should reach 1 million.
The authors of the strategy emphasize that development of broadband Internet access will be driven by growing demand for this service. And such demand will rise thanks to an increase in the amount of information and services available on the internet. The document specifies those areas which should be promoted and whose development will increase interest in fast Internet access in Poland: these include public services provided by electronic means, medical services provided at a distance and e-commerce.
The authors of "Sieæpospolita" refer to various sources for financing Internet access, including money guaranteed by the National Development Plan (NPR) for developing the IT and telecommunications infrastructure, budget resources, as well as EU and local government funds. They also count on so-called public-private partnerships.
The Polish Chamber of Information Technology and Telecommunications, comprising 180 Polish IT and telecommunication companies, has delivered its own verdict on the government's project. The Chamber believes that while it is generally a good thing that the government has tackled the problem, the project neither includes any actual proposals for accelerating development of broadband Internet access in general, nor for extending such access beyond urban areas in particular.
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