Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Bridging the Broadband Gap {SEC(2006) 354} {SEC(2006) 355}
Date: 2006-03-20
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Internet, economic growth, employment policy, information society, information technology, less-favoured region, new technology, telecommunications, transmission network

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 20.3.2006 
COM(2006) 129 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Bridging the Broadband Gap 

{SEC(2006) 354} 
{SEC(2006) 355} 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

2. 

3. 

3.1. 

3.2. 

3.3. 

4. 

4.1. 

4.2. 

4.3. 

5. 

Introduction .................................................................................................................. 3 

Why broadband matters ............................................................................................... 4 

The broadband gap: the geographical divide ............................................................... 5 

The size of the gap ....................................................................................................... 5 

New Member States ..................................................................................................... 6 

The technological solutions.......................................................................................... 6 

The current response .................................................................................................... 7 

The political process .................................................................................................... 7 

Rationale of public intervention................................................................................... 7 

Available Instruments .................................................................................................. 8 

Conclusions ................................................................................................................ 10 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Bridging the Broadband Gap 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The dynamism of the European economy crucially depends on the development and adoption 
of  new  technologies.  Enhancing  supply  and  demand  of  Information  and  Communication 
Technologies  (ICTs)  is  important  to  realise  the  growth  and  jobs  objectives  of  the  renewed 
Lisbon strategy1. 

The  access  to  high  speed  internet  through  "broadband"  connections  is  opening  up  huge 
possibilities  and  constitutes  concrete  evidence  of  the  promises  of  the  "information  society". 
The  benefits  of  broadband  are  such  that  the  inability  to  have  access  to  it  is  an  issue  which 
should  be  addressed  urgently.  The  lack  of  access  to  broadband  connections  constitutes  an 
aspect of the more general problem usually referred to as the “digital divide”, which describes 
the gap between individuals, businesses and territories in terms of opportunities to access and 
use ICTs. 

This Communication focuses on the territorial divide regarding broadband access. It aims to 
make governments and institutions at all levels aware of the importance of this divide and of 
the concerns about the lack of adequate broadband services in the less developed areas of the 
Union.  The  Communication  implements  one  of  the  priorities  of  the  i2010  initiative  –  a 
European Initiative for growth and employment2. 

The analysis is based on the findings of the Digital Divide Forum Report3, which was made 
available  for  public  consultation  until  16.09.2005.  The  Communication  reviews  progress  on 
the availability of broadband access in the EU15 plus Norway and Iceland in 2003-2004. Data 
for the new Member States are not yet available.  

On  the  basis  of  the  comments  received  during  the  public  consultation,  the  present 
Communication identifies a number of instruments that could be deployed at the local level to 
improve  the  availability  of  broadband.  It  calls  on  all  the  public  and  private  stakeholders  to 
attach the highest priority to the development of this important communication infrastructure 
and  suggests  that  the  Member  States  continue  to  apply  and,  where  appropriate,  strengthen 
their  National  Broadband  Strategies.  The  Commission,  for  its  part,  will  take  a  number  of 
measures  aimed  at  making  relevant  information  more  easily  available  and  at  increasing  the 
exchange of best practices. 

The geographical broadband digital divide is only one aspect of a wider social and economic 
development  issue.  It  requires  demand-side  actions  that  support  skills,  accessibility,  use  of 
online services, etc. The Commission is working on these issues in the context of the i2010 
initiative as well as through the support of structural and rural development funds. 

1 

2 
3 

"Time to Move Up A Gear" The European Commission's 2006 Annual Progress Report on Growth and 
Jobs: http://europa.eu.int/growthandjobs/annual-report_en.htm 
COM(2005) 229 
Available at http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/i2010/digital_divide/index_en.htm 

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2. 

WHY BROADBAND MATTERS 

The internet is one of the most important innovations of our time. It brings substantial benefits 
to economies and societies4. The impact of broadband is just beginning to be felt. The precise 
impact  has  been  difficult  to  measure.  It  is,  however,  clear  that  the  ability  to  communicate 
information at high speeds and through various platforms is key to the development of new 
goods and services. 

Broadband enables new applications and enhances the capacity of existing ones. It stimulates 
economic growth through the creation of new services and the opening up of new investment 
and  jobs  opportunities.  But  broadband  also  enhances  the  productivity  of  many  existing 
processes, leading to better wages and better returns on investment. Governments at all levels 
have recognised the impact that broadband may have on everyday lives and are committed to 
ensuring that its benefits are made available to all5.  

Securing long term sustainability of remote and rural areas requires a strategic approach to the 
development of the information society. The availability of broadband services is one critical 
element  in  assisting  local  communities  in  attracting  businesses,  in  enabling  tele-work, 
providing healthcare, improving education and government services. It provides a critical link 
to information. Examples are: 

Telemedicine  and  eHealth:  The  delivery  of  telemedicine  and  eHealth  applications  bridges 
time  and  distance  and  allows  services  to  reach  individuals  in  their  own  communities.  Rural 
hospitals  may  exploit  broadband  to  enjoy  the  same  medical  expertise  available  in  urban 
centres. Purchase of medical supplies, prescriptions and electronic record keeping are enabled 
online. Electronic monitoring is made possible, with important benefits for assisted living.  

eGovernment:  Broadband  improves  the  capability  of  eGovernment  services  and  allows  a 
better  interaction  between  governments,  easing  access  to  government  for  citizens  and 
businesses.  It  facilitates  the  development  of  high-quality  services  and  may  increase 
organisational performance resulting in efficiency gains for the public administrations.  

Education:  Broadband  strengthens  the  life-long  learning  process  and  enables  students  to 
obtain real-time education from qualified teachers in areas where that instruction may not be 
available. Students can access alternative educational resources and be exposed to new forms 
of  educational  content.  It  enables  video-conferencing  and  facilitates  inter-institutional 
collaboration. 

Rural Development: In rural areas, broadband plays an important role in connecting farms and 
businesses  to  national  and  international  markets.  It  helps  the  development  of  the  rural 
economy by facilitating e-business, particularly in the farm and food sectors. It can encourage 
diversification by making rural areas more attractive and improving marketing opportunities 
for  products  and  services  such  a  tourism  and  rural  amenities.  Village  ICT  initiatives  built 
around  broadband  hubs  can  provide  a  cost-effective  approach  to  provision  of  services  to 
businesses and local communities. 

4 

5 

M.  O’Mahony  and  B.  Van  Ark,  “EU  productivity  and  competitiveness:  An  industry  perspective”, 
http://www.ggdc.net/pub/EU_productivity_and_competitiveness.pdf. 
“Connecting Europe at High Speed: National Broadband Strategies”, COM(2004) 369. 

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3. 

THE BROADBAND GAP: THE GEOGRAPHICAL DIVIDE 

3.1. 

The size of the gap 

Demand for residential broadband services in the EU has been growing fast. The number of 
broadband access lines has almost doubled in the past two years. In October 2005 there were 
about  53  million  connections  in  the  EU25,  corresponding  to  a  penetration  rate  of  11.5%  in 
terms  of  population  and  to  roughly  20%  of  households.  These  developments  have  been 
mainly market driven and enhanced by increases in competition. 

Broadband  access  can  be  delivered  by  a  variety  of  platforms:  telephone  and  cable  wires, 
wireless  connections,  fibre,  satellite  and  electrical  powers.  Digital  Subscriber  Line  (DSL)  is 
the  predominant  access  technology  in  the  EU.  It  accounts  for  an  increasing  share  of  the 
overall  broadband  market,  standing  at  80%  of  total  broadband  lines.  Cable  modem  is  the 
second  most  important  technology  in  terms  of  penetration,  with  a  share  of  18%.  Other 
technologies account for the balance of about 2%. 

Despite  the  general  increase  in  broadband  connectivity,  access  in  more  remote  and  rural 
regions  is  limited  because  of  high  costs  due  to  low  density  of  population  and  remoteness. 
Population  scarcity  limits  the  exploitation  of  economies  of  scale,  entails  lower  rates  of 
demand and reduced expected returns from investment. Remoteness often implies the need of 
bridging  longer  distances  from  the  local  exchanges  to  the  premises  and  to  the  backbone. 
Commercial incentives to invest in broadband deployment in these areas often turn out to be 
insufficient. On the positive side, technological innovation is reducing deployment costs.  

As  a  result,  there  was  a  significant  increase  in  broadband  coverage  in  2004,  but  in  January 
2005 an important gap remained between the urban and the rural areas of the EU15 Member 
States (plus Norway and Iceland)6. At the beginning of the year, DSL reached approximately 
85% of households, up from 80% one year earlier7. Given the predominance of this delivery 
technique, the figure for the availability of DSL can be taken as a good proxy for the general 
availability of broadband.8 

Households  with  access  to  broadband  are  concentrated  in  urban  and  suburban  areas.  In 
January 2005, DSL reached only about 62% of households in the rural areas. Furthermore, in 
these  areas,  only  about  8%  of  households  subscribe  to  broadband,  compared  to  an  average 
rate of 18% in urban areas.  

Rural  areas  also  lag  behind  urban  area  in  terms  of  connection  speeds.  Download  speeds 
between  144  kbps  and  512  kbps  have  been  the  most common in rural areas in the past two 
years. In more urban areas, average speeds are in the range of 512 and 1,000 kbps. While in 
urban  areas  there  is  a  clear  trend  towards  higher  bandwidth,  in  rural  areas  speeds  tend  to 
remain  constant.  This  divergence  follows  from  lower  technological  performance  resulting 
both  from  distance  and  from  lack  of  competition.  Lower  speeds  may  constrain  take-up  by 

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8 

Comparable data on coverage in the new Member States are not yet available. 
DSL  coverage  denotes  the  percentage  of  population  depending  on  switches  equipped  for  DSL.  The 
definition of DSL coverage includes individuals and businesses located too far away from the switches 
to be reached, overestimating effective coverage.  
In more general terms, at least 4.7 million would-be users are expected to be excluded by commercial 
broadband rollout in 2013. Cfr Annex 1, footnote 17.  

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businesses in rural areas as well as take-up by households that are unable to undergo a true 
multimedia experience. 

Although connectivity is progressing fast, there is a large gap between coverage and take-up 
of  broadband  in  all  areas.  In  less  developed  areas,  structural  characteristics  such  as  lower 
income  and  education  may  inhibit  demand  even  when  access  is  available.  The  Commission 
will examine this issue in the annual progress reports of the i 2010 initiative. 

3.2. 

New Member States 

Comparable data on broadband coverage in the new Member States are not yet available. The 
broadband  market  is  just  starting  to  develop  but  is  restricted  by  lower  levels  of  PC  and 
telephone line penetration. In some countries, however, TV cable networks are significantly 
deployed and represent an important alternative to the upgrades of telephone exchanges.  

While broadband rollout in the EU15 is mostly based on the upgrading of existing networks, 
it  is  reasonable  to  expect  a  different  pattern  of  development  in  the  new  Member  States.  In 
these countries there is often a situation of slow adaptation of the market rather than a market 
failure.  Furthermore,  there  is  a  clear  trend  towards  take-up  of  mobile  instead  of  fixed 
telephones.  When  available,  people  are  likely  to  retain  a  fixed  line  for  internet  access,  but 
wireless developments will probably play a more important role in the provision of broadband 
services. 

3.3. 

The technological solutions 

Broadband services can be delivered using various combinations of communications network 
technologies (“platforms”). Technologies can feature either fixed or radio based transmission 
infrastructure, and they can substitute or complement each other according to the individual 
situation.  Each  technology  has  particular  features  and  a  different  impact  on  the  overall 
network capacity and capability9. 

Technological  innovation  is  succeeding  in  increasing  the  reach  and  the  performance  of 
existing  technologies,  bringing  new  platforms  to  the  market,  and  reducing  their  minimum 
operational size, facilitating the exploitation of economies of scale.  

Savings  in  civil  engineering  costs  for  passive  infrastructure  can  be  further  realised  by 
exploiting  the  synergies  between  the  constructions  of  ICT,  energy,  water  or  transport 
infrastructures. 

The emergence of new wireless platforms particularly suited for rural areas is an interesting 
development.  However,  it  requires  that  sufficient  spectrum  is  made  available,  which  in  turn 
reinforces the importance of moving to more efficient and flexible forms of management of 
this scarce resource.10  

The  optimal  mix  of  technologies  depends  on  the  characteristics  of  each  particular  location. 
The cost of technologies varies according to the number of potential users, the distance of the 

9 

10 

A  detailed  description  of  their  characteristics  can  be  found  in  Chapter  2  of  the  Digital  Divide  Forum 
Report. 
The  Commission  presented  a  new  strategy  for  an  optimal  use  of  radio  spectrum  in  Europe  on 
29.09.2005. See COM(2005) 400, COM(2005)411 and COM(2005) 461. 

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dwellings from the point of presence, and the presence of the backhaul. A scarcely-populated 
isolated  area  may  be  better  off  with  a  wireless  solution  and  a  small  town  with  a  wireline 
solution. Some radio solutions require a line-of-sight path which may not always be available 
in hilly regions.  

No specific technology option will offer the best connectivity in all situations. The optimum is 
often achieved by a combination of technologies and solutions. In conclusion, best solutions 
can only be identified at the local level. Investment and choice should be made on the basis of 
current availability and effective demand. 

4. 

THE CURRENT RESPONSE 

4.1. 

The political process 

The Commission has highlighted the issue of the geographical digital divide on a number of 
occasions11.  The  scope  for  public  intervention  in  under-served  areas  was  emphasised  in 
eEurope  200512,  which  highlighted  the  role  that  Structural  Funds  can  play  in  bringing 
broadband  to  disadvantaged  regions.  Clarifications  on  the  availability  and  on  the 
compatibility  of  public  funding  with  the  state-aid  rules  were  given  in  the  “Guidelines  on 
criteria and modalities of use of Structural Funds for electronic communications”, published 
by the Commission in July 200313.  

In  the  context  of  eEurope  2005,  and  on  the  basis  of  discussions  at  Telecom  Councils,  15 
Member States put in place National Broadband Strategies in 2003. Five new Member States 
have  since  decided  to  adopt  similar  documents.  All  strategies  recognise  the  role  of 
competition  in  driving  private  investment.  However,  in  the  presence  of  market  failure, 
national strategies acknowledge the role of governments in ensuring coverage and announced 
supporting  programmes.  Current  initiatives  address  both  the  supply  and  the  demand  side  of 
the market to stimulate a virtuous circle, whereby development of better content and services 
depends  on  infrastructure  deployment  and  vice-versa.  Some  of  these  strategies  have  been 
recently revised to introduce more refined targets. 

Initiatives  are  generally  coordinated  at  the  national  level,  although  their  implementation  is 
carried out at the regional and  local  levels. The Digital Divide Forum report, announced by 
the  White  Paper  on  Space14,  opened  a  public  discussion  on  the  desirability  of  public 
intervention. It detailed the costs and performances of alternative technologies and provided 
examples of current initiatives. The public consultation confirms the importance attributed to 
this  issue  by  local/regional  and  national  authorities  as  well  as  by  the  industry  and  various 
associations. A comprehensive summary of the results of the public consultation is annexed to 
this Communication. 

4.2. 

Rationale of public intervention 

Action  at  all  government  levels  can  help  to  increase  coverage  in  under-served  areas. 
Nevertheless, the assessment of market failures is a difficult task, particularly when there is 

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13 
14 

COM(2003) 65, COM(2003) 673, COM(2004) 61, COM(2004) 369, COM(2004) 380. 
COM(2002) 263 
Available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/working/sf2000_en.htm. 
COM(2003) 673. 

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uncertainty  over  the  pace  of  broadband  deployment.  The  benefits  from  government 
intervention must therefore be clear and substantial, compensating for the risks of undesirable 
consequences.  One  risk  is  that,  by  picking  particular  technologies  or  defining  particular 
services, some government programmes may inhibit technological development. Another risk 
is that government intervention may distort competition and affect commercial incentives to 
invest. Finally, given the current gap between coverage and take-up, people may simply not 
be willing to use the technology.  

All  these  risks  should  be  assessed  when  designing  broadband  initiatives  involving  demand 
stimulation  and  aggregation,  grant  and  loan  programmes,  municipal  initiatives  and 
competition, etc. The analysis requires policy makers to review reliable broadband data on an 
ongoing and timely basis. Availability of mapping of infrastructure is particularly relevant.  

Local  governments  are  well  placed  to  collect local  information  and  aggregate  local  demand 
for  broadband  services.  They  know  the  local  topography  and  may  determine  the  optimal 
technology mix. They may facilitate the development of local services or launch pilot projects 
to  explore  new  technologies.  They  may  support  the  rollout  of  future-proof  high-capacity 
infrastructure that is open to competitive service providers on non-discriminatory basis.  

In conclusion, local/regional authorities are best placed to plan a broadband project that takes 
into account local needs and technological requirements. National broadband strategies need 
to  be  strengthened  to  involve  and  reflect  local  needs.  As  projects  are  scattered,  local  and 
regional authorities will also largely benefit from an increased exchange of best practices.  

4.3. 

Available Instruments 

Devising  and  implementing  effective  policy  instruments  to  correct  market  failures  or 
complement the action of market forces is a complex task. However, various instruments are 
already available at the EU level:  

the  regulatory 

Implementation  of 

for  electronic  communications: 
(i) 
Broadband  is  developing  most  rapidly  in  liberalised  markets.  Enhancing  competition  is 
therefore the best way to stimulate the market to develop. In addition, given the importance of 
wireless solutions for rural areas, a more coordinated EU Radio Spectrum Policy could result 
in increased harmonisation and stimulate broadband developments.  

framework 

Action  1:  Member  States  shall  fully  implement  the  regulatory  framework  for  electronic 
communications, to enhance open access and facilitate competitive entry in rural areas. In the 
area of spectrum, the Commission is working with Member States to harmonise the technical 
conditions  of  use  in  the  EU  for  broadband  wireless  access  applications,  with  the  aim  to 
consolidate the single market and stimulate entry of innovative technologies. 

Public funding: With the increasing level of public support for broadband initiatives, 
(ii) 
there  is  growing  evidence  that  public  intervention  may  accelerate  broadband  deployment  in 
the  less  profitable  areas,  while  ensuring,  by  means  of  open  access  requirements,  that 
competition is preserved in the future.  

Action  2:  Public  intervention  in  the  forms  of  loans  and  grants,  often  as  public-private 
partnerships,  should  be  further  developed  in  under-served  areas.  Fiscal  incentives  for 
subscribers should be explored by Member States, in compliance with competition rules and 
technological neutrality.  

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(iii) 
State  aids  and  competition  policy:  public  intervention  may  distort  competition,  and 
state-aid law provides an important set of rules to safeguard it. When the granting of state aid 
is envisaged, the project must be notified to the European Commission. The Commission will 
then  assess  its  compatibility  with  the  Treaty  rules.  There  have  already  been  a  number  of 
decisions regarding publicly funded broadband projects in rural and remote areas in which the 
Commission did not raise objections. A summary of those decisions can be found in Chapter 
3 and Annex 3 of the Digital Divide Forum report. Deployment of open access infrastructure, 
defined according to technological neutrality and managed by an independent entity, appears 
to be the solution most conducive to effective competition. 

Action 3: The Commission will further explain and disseminate its practice in order to provide 
guidance on state-aid rules applicable to broadband projects.. 

(iv) 
EU  funding:  Structural  Funds  and  Rural  Development  Fund:  At  the  EU  level, 
Structural Funds and the Rural Development Fund contribute to the development of regional 
and rural areas that are lagging behind. Within the renewed Lisbon process, the Commission 
has  proposed  that  the  programmes  supported  by  Structural  Funds  target  investment  in 
knowledge. Especially in remote and rural areas and in new Member States, Structural Funds 
aim  at  ensuring  availability  of  ICT  infrastructure  where  the  market  fails  to  provide  it  at  an 
affordable cost and to an adequate level to support the required services. Above all, Structural 
Funds  should  aim  at  the  spread  of  the  Information  Society  through  the  balanced  support  of 
demand and supply of ICT products and services as well as through improved human capital. 
The balance of investment should reflect the existing gap between broadband penetration and 
coverage in the area.  

Guidelines  on  the  use  of  Structural  Funds  for  electronic  communications  were  published  in 
200315. The new Rural Development Fund will also focus on forward-looking investment in 
human  capital  and  innovation,  including  the  take-up  of  ICTs  in  rural  areas16.  Rural 
development programmes can play an important role in ensuring that appropriate small-scale 
local  infrastructure  is  put  in  place  to  connect  major  investments  to  local  strategies  for 
diversification and development of agricultural and food-sector potential. Only then will the 
intended multiplier effects be fully realised in terms of jobs and growth.  

Action  4:  The  Commission  will  organise  a  conference  in  the  first  half  of  2007  to  bring 
together  the  ICT  and  rural  constituencies.  The  aim  will  be  to  better  understand  rural  users’ 
requirements  and  create  awareness  of  the  potential  of  ICTs  for  rural  development.  In 
particular,  it  will  focus  on  how  rural  communities  and  businesses  can  build  on  the 
opportunities  created  by  improved  ICT  infrastructure  and  broadband  access,  and  on  the 
synergies between the Structural Funds and the Rural Development Fund. 

(v) 
Demand  aggregation  and  procurement:  Uncertainty  of  demand  affects  expected 
returns on investment and inhibits commercial investment. Local authorities are well placed to 
organise a registration system and assess the local demand which can eventually be brought to 
the market. When collective demand within a community is not sufficient, municipalities may 
consolidate aggregation across several communities.  

15 
16 

Cfr footnote 13. 
The Commission presented a set of Community Strategic Guidelines for 2007-2013 (COM(2005) 299 
and  COM(2005)  304)  targeting  the  next  generation  of  cohesion  policy  and  rural  development 
programmes more on growth and jobs. 

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Action  5:  The  Commission  will  launch  a  web  site  that  will  stimulate  the  exchange  of  best 
practices  and  facilitate  demand  aggregation.  It  will  act  as  a  central  information  platform, 
publishing  calls  for  tender  and  providing  a  one-stop  shop  for  best  practice  exchanges.  The 
web  site  may  become  this  way  a  virtual  meeting  point  between  suppliers  and  local 
governments.  In  particular,  the  web  site  could  permit  very  sparsely-populated  areas  to 
coordinate  demands  for  broadband,  establishing  a  critical  mass  for  technological  solutions, 
such as satellite, that provide large coverage.  

Fostering  the  creation  of  modern  public  services:  All  Member  States  support  the 
(vi) 
development of on-line public services. In turn, development of innovative services stimulates 
user  demand  which  facilitates  infrastructure  deployment.  Development  of  modern  online 
public services is a powerful instrument to drive broadband demand. 

Action  6:  Active  policies  at  Member  State  and  regional  level  to  provide  connectivity  for 
public administrations, schools and health centres will create a critical mass of users, whilst 
stimulating  demand  by  demonstrating  benefits  of  broadband-enabled  services.  The 
Commission  will  take  into  account  of  the  stimulation  effect  of  e-government  services  in 
disadvantaged regions in preparing its Action Plan for e-government in 2006.  

5. 

CONCLUSIONS 

Widespread broadband access is a key condition for  the  development  of  modern  economies 
and is an important aspect of the Lisbon agenda.. The European Union must step up its efforts 
to encourage take-up of broadband services and stimulate further deployment, in particular in 
the less developed areas of the Union.  

This  Communication  invites  all  levels  of  government  in  the  European  Union  to  be  more 
active in using the available instruments and technologies.  

Member States are invited to update their existing National Broadband Strategies to provide 
additional guidance to all stakeholders. Their documents may well define targets in terms of 
coverage  as  well  as  take-up,  on  the  basis  of  an  active  partnership  with  regional  authorities, 
and  exploiting  synergies  between  alternative  sources  of  funding  (national,  Structural  Funds, 
Rural Development Fund). National broadband strategies should also set clear targets for the 
connectivity of schools, public administrations and health centres. 

The  Commission  will  monitor  and  organise  discussions  around  these  strategies  within  the 
i2010 High Level Group. 

The Commission will continue monitoring the broadband digital divide by: 

Analysing  all  the  aspects  of  the  "broadband  divide"  in  the  i2010  annual  progress 

a) 
reports and in the context of the e-Inclusion initiative planned for 2008; 

Monitoring broadband developments in the new Member States and reporting on them 

b) 
in 2006. 

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