Ninety percent of Dutch homes and businesses should have access to next-generation broadband services by 2020, according to the recommendations of the Task Force Next Generation Networks. The task force led by Ferd Crone, mayor of Leeuwarden, has delivered its report to the government. The report covers proposals for the roll-out of faster networks, and looks at how local governments can help develop the new infrastructure. The parliament called for the report in a motion passed last November, but any government action is not possible until after the elections in June. The authors looked at ways to handle the expected increase in average download speed to 75 to 400 Mbps by 2020, from 5 to 14 Mbps currently. The increase is needed to support the growing demand for triple-play services delivered over broadband networks, as well as public services such as health, security and education. According to the task force, the market will not be able to adequately meet the increase in demand, and local government can play a role in facilitating the new infrastructure. This can mean a coordinating role, for helping supply meet demand, or a financing role for rolling out new networks.
Cable and fibre operators reacted mainly positively to the report's proposals. NLkabel, the cable industry association, was pleased with the report's conclusion that both cable and fibre can be considered future-proof networks for delivering next-generation internet, whereas xDSL wil be unable to meet future demand. However, the group was less enthusiastic about the recommendation for local governments to take an active role, such as co-financing of infrastructure. Municipalities should stay out of the debate over competing infrastructures and focus on developing public services for the faster networks, NLkabel said. The FTTH Platform, which represents fibre operators, was pleased with the proposals for local governments to help finance networks. As long as they invest under market-conform terms, there should be no problems with competition, it said. The platform stressed that only open-access fibre networks will be able to meet demand up to and after 2020. Stedenlink, an alliance of cities and provinces working on broadband development, saw its strategy reinforced by the report. It called for the national government to also develop a roll-out strategy, to compliment the actions taken already by municipalities and regional governments. The group said it was already too late to leave the developments to the market, and the report's estimtes show that innovation may soon stagnate if data infrastructure does not improve.
