Poland’s National Broadband Plan
November 2014
Strategies and Action Plans
The National Broadband Plan is a strategic document defining actions and means to achieve the goal of providing universal broadband access to the internet. The overarching goals implemented by the National Broadband Plan are the development of telecommunications networks and infrastructure and the stimulation of demand for high-speed access services.
The NPS objectives are aligned with the objectives of the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) and include:
- Providing universal access to the Internet with a speed of at least 30 Mb/s by the end of 2020.
- Ensuring that 50% of households use access services with a speed of at least 100 Mb/s by the end of 2020;
The main objective of the National Broadband Plan is to ensure broadband infrastructure is available throughout the territory of the Republic of Poland, enabling:
- quick access to the global internet;
- safe and fast access to electronic public services and efficient communication between public institutions, citizens and businesses;
- development of the digital society;
- development of modern education;
- development of research and innovation;
- creating a digital single market;
In order to meet the main assumptions related to the NPS, which include the removal of legal barriers, the development of a digital society, and the creation of a uniform digital market, the Ministry of Digital Affairs is carrying out the following activities:
- Investment incentives for telecommunications operators
For this purpose, it is necessary to ensure a stable and investment-friendly legal and regulatory environment. Additionally, in order to fully utilise the existing infrastructure, the Ministry of Digital Affairs is trying to provide access to information about existing solutions, completed constructions, projects and demand. The NPS presents a number of activities and tools that can help encourage operators to invest, including:
- Creating a legal and regulatory environment conducive to investments in broadband infrastructure;
- Promotion of co-investment;
- Providing access to information on infrastructure, projects and demand;
- Inventory of broadband infrastructure and provision of coverage maps of broadband networks and services;
- Support for investments in wireless networks;
- Coordination of investment plans in infrastructure (roads, water, sewage);
- Investments using public funds
They result, among other things, from the persistent digital gap that has emerged between rural areas and the rest of the country. In order to eliminate these differences, it will be necessary to make a number of investments in areas with the least developed broadband network. Support using public funds is provided to telecommunications entrepreneurs in accordance with the Regulation of the Minister of Administration and Digitization of 16 September 2015 on the provision of aid for the development of broadband infrastructure under the Digital Poland Operational Program for 2014–2020 (the Regulation). According to the Regulation, support may be provided for projects implemented in areas where NGA networks do not exist and are unlikely to be created on a commercial basis within three years, which is verified each time before the announcement of the competition through open public consultations regarding these areas.
- Stimulating demand for broadband services
The Ministry of Digital Affairs assumes activities in three segments. The first is raising awareness. To achieve this, digital education, popularisation of the benefits of the internet, digital inclusion of all social groups and increasing digital skills are necessary. The next segment is “accessibility”. We try to focus on increasing the universality of access to new technologies, minimising costs, and increasing the availability of computers and the internet in schools and libraries. The last segment is “attractiveness”, which will concern support for the development of services that drive demand for internet access. A number of solutions that are already operating in Poland have measurably increased the demand for broadband internet.
NPS is consistent with the medium-term national development strategies – National Development Strategy 2020 and the long-term national development strategy – Poland 2030. The Third Wave of Modernity and is an implementing document for the Efficient State Strategy. The National Broadband Plan in 2016 was included in the Strategy for Responsible Development in the area of Digitalization as part of strategic projects.