1. B3 regions: Regions for Better Broadband Connection. Carlos Cabo Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

2. Project TitleRegions for Better Broadband Connection AcronymB3 Regions Programme INTERREG IVC Programme Priority /Innovation and the knowledge economy Sub-themeInformation Sociey Duration2008.09-2010.08 Leading partnerRegion of Piamonte Website http://www.b3regions.eu B3 regions project summary Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

3. Overall objective ‘B3 Regions’ aims to create European network composed by 16 public authorities representing 8 different Member States, aiming to improve their innovation policies by transferring their best practices related to regional implementation of ICT connections into 2007-2013 Structural Funds programmes. Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels The project has two principal activities Sharing knowledge and experiences concerning Broadband in order to help the Involved Managing Authorities to develop their telecommunication action plans into the Operational Programmes 2007-2013. Dissemination process to spread Best Practices to external stakeholders. It will particularly target Managing authorities and ICT agencies willing to implement successful Broadband strategies through structural funds.

4. Partners Region of Piamonte Italy Region of Sterea Ellada GREECE CC.AA. Cataluña Spain Region of Malopolska POLAND Region of Lower Silesia POLAND Region of Crete GREECE Fundecyt Spain City of Lodz POLAND CSI-Piemonte ITALY NYnet - UK National Communications Authority HUNGARY iCentres BULGARIA Region of Sardinia ITALY University of Cyprus CYPRUS University of Crete GREECE Region of Lodz POLAND Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

5. Actions lines ¬Demand Aggregation ¬E-Government services and management of the infrastructure ¬State aids Regulation ¬Education Services ¬ICT Observatories and Integrated Portals ¬Access in remote rural coastal mountain areas ¬EU broadband search engine ¬Prublic Private Partnership and funding models Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

6. B3 Regions is structured according to 3 main processes strongly interrelated to deliver the main output of the project: the action plans. Component 3Component 3 Exchange of Experiences Component 2Component 2 Communication and Dissemination Component 1Component 1 Project Coordination and Management Metodology Component 1Component 2 Component 3 Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

7. Metodology This component aims at making relevant stakeholders across EU aware of the project’s activities and results Project website www.b3regions.euwww.b3regions.eu International recognition: –The B3 Regions project was presented at the National Convention on the Communication Technologies. 14th May 2009 in Sasso Marconi (Italy). –B3 Regions Launch Conference took place on the first day of the “European Regions for better ICT connections” event that was held on 2-3 April, 2009 in Turin, Italy –B3 Regions was presented during the "Regions for Economic Change" Conference in Brussels, 16-17 February, 2009 –B3 Regions was presented during the Interreg IVC Interregional Cooperation Forum in Lille, France on 27-28 October, 2008 Communication and dissemination Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

8. Metodology This component aims at making relevant stakeholders across EU aware of the project’s activities and results Communication and dissemination Online dissemination foresees the production of specialised e-learning modules to spread broadband good practices and the action plan support tool. E-Learning modules http://merope.ucnet.uoc.gr/b3regions Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

9. Metodology Experiences Exchange Exchange of experiences to transfer best practices into EU Structural Funds mainstream programmes -Study visits -Twinnings - Thematic forums - Action plan support tool Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

10. Metodology Experiences Exchange Study visits will involve policy makers and technical experts and will be organised in the regions with most advanced development of broadband projects financed under Structural Funds 2000-2006 Study visits Until today, more than 15 study visits have been organized among the main project partners. Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

11. Metodology Experiences Exchange Twinning: Regional expert will share their experiences on 2000-20006 broadband projects with regions that will develop theis action plan on the period 2007-2013 Twinning Until today, more 7 Twinnings have been organized among the main project partners.. Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

12. Metodology Experiences Exchange Thematic forums were launched in order to discuss and deepen the most interesting topics and issues. Thematic forums 5 thematic workshops for exchange of experience and best practices in the following areas were organized: - Demand aggregation: December 2008, UK - E-Government: January 2009, Poland - State Aid: March 2009, Spain - eLearning Services / Servicios para la formación a distancia. June 2009, Grecce - ICT Observatory / Observatorio de S.I.. July 2009, Italy Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

13. Metodology Experiences Exchange The rest of thematic workshops for exchange of experience and best practices in the following areas are: - Access in remote rural coastal mountain areas - EU broadband search engine - Public Private Partnership and funding models Thematic forums were launched in order to discuss and deepen the most interesting topics and issues. Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels Thematic forums

14. Metodology Experiences Exchange Action Plan Support Tool will be formed by different best practices split in their basic components and arranged by theme: administrative organisation, market status, undertaken actions, quantitative and qualitative impact measurement of such actions Action Plan Support Tools Until today, more than 15 study visits have been organized among the main project partners. Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

15. Experiences Exchange (An Example) North Yorkshire: Data –Rural population –Socio – economic disadvantage / rural deprivation –The largest region in England –The lowest population density in England –600.000 citizens and 50.000 companies Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels NyNet Experience North Yorkshire: Telecommunication –Public sector pays 2-4 times more per cápita than urban areas –Citizens have poorer access to broadband services –SMEs pay up to 8 times more for lesser range of services

16. Who NyNet is? –Team of 12 people –Full time, part time and contract staff –Deliver on commercial targets –Deliver on economic and social targets –Develop new products and services –Aggregate demand in public and private markets North Yorkshire: Telecommunication –Public sector pays 2-4 times more per cápita than urban areas –Citizens have poorer access to broadband services –SMEs pay up to 8 times more for lesser range of services A public-sector controlleed Special Purpose Vehicle – established a private company limited by shares

17. NyNet objetives? Stimulate economic growth through helping the market to deliver next generation broadband services to business and residential users. Provide an infrastructure capable of delivering advanced public services to citizens and business Provide “faster, better and cheaper” public sector networks to enable more efficient and effective corporate services

18. Markets – who we sell to … –The public sector in North Yorkshire –Small & Medium Sizes Enterprises in North Yorkshire –Citizens residences in Communities poorly served by broadband Markets – who we don´t sell to … –Residents –Directly to Businesses –Outside our Country

19. Extremadura Strategy for Information Society Experiences Exchange (An Example) Extremadura in 2000 –Over one million of inhabitants in 41,602 km 2. Population density: 25.7 inhabitants/km 2 (average density in Europe, 116.8 inhabitants/km 2 ) –After services (59.85%), farming is the second sector employing workers, with 16.6% of all employed persons in the region –Unemployment rate: 22% Sphera National Conference. 17/09/2009. Algarve

20. Extremadura Strategy for Information Society Technological Framework Strategic Framework Corporate Network / eExtremadura Specific Actions VivernetKNC Education Technology Network / Jara Project Broadband projects / ICT Infraestructure LinEx Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

21. Education Technology Network Education Technology Network supposed the integration of Information and Knowledge Society into the Educative System of Extremadura Through Communication infrastructures In 2001, all educative centres in Extremadura were connected with 2 Mb connection speed Telecommunication Equipment / Equipamiento informático 466.289 computers 1 server in each educative centre 1 computers/ 2 pupils in Secondary Schools 1 computer / 6 pupils in Primary School Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

22. Broadband projects I Broadband extension plan Extremadura was the first region in Spain to connect its whole territory with broadband connection. http://www.adslextremadura.info/ II Broadband extension plan The objective of this Plan was to extend broadband connection to rural areas and isolated localities outside urban areas in Extremadura http://bandaancha.juntaextremadura.net Scientific and Technological Network This network will do possible to all R&D institutes to have access to other networks through bandwith higher than the normal ones. http://rct.juntaextremadura.net Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

23. Our idea Sharing Knowledge for IMPROVING Sphera Conference. 09/10/2009. Brussels

24. Sphera National Conference. 17/09/2009. Algarve For more information: carlos.cabo@fundecyt.escarlos.cabo@fundecyt.es