Supporting Investment Opportunity Mapping Systems in Broadband Infrastructure for South Eastern Europe is a project that aims to assist the nations of Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine in mapping broadband infrastructure and services, taking into account requirements from regional harmonization efforts carried out by the European Union and Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC).
Countries will be assisted on technical requirements and system design, from a regulatory standpoint. To ensure the sustainability of the process, assistance to National Regulatory Authorities and other competent authorities will be provided on how to harness mapping systems to support countries’ digital transformation. Based on this experience, the project will finally deliver guidelines on the establishment, improvement, maintenance and utilization of mapping systems (Country Assistance Guidelines), which can be applied worldwide. To fulfill the endeavors envisioned by this project, actions will take place over a course of 2 years beginning in 2020 with a projected termination date of December 2022.
This project will provide a unique opportunity for harmonization of mapping systems in part of Europe Region, aligning mapping tools as well as the regulations underpinning them. In particular, the project will:
- Increase transparency of information about broadband infrastructure;
- Increase private investment with new operators entering the market;
- Increase opportunities for delivering public aid without distortion of competition.
In addition, the project will constitute the knowledge base necessary for elaboration of guidelines to be used internationally for deployment of national mapping systems across the globe.
The expected results of this project are callibrated into 5 phases that build upon each other:
- Phase 1 - Taking Stock: Stocktaking of the level of development of mapping systems for infrastructure in targeted countries and identification of gaps;
- Phase 2 - Tailored Assistance: Drafting of tailored plans for implementation and coordination with targeted countries;
- Phase 3 - Country Implementation: Implementation of country assistance based on Phases 1 & 2;
- Phase 4 - Assessing Impact: Assessing impact on targeted countries and development of guidelines including best practices in Europe;
- Phase 5 - Scaling Up: Worldwide use and promotion of the newly formed guidelines of Phase 4 with the aim of attracting new countries.
This project is to be implemented within the framework of the
ITU's Regional
Initiatives for Europe, namely Initiative 1:
Broadband infrastructure, broadcasting, and spectrum management. Read
more about the Regional Initiatives
here.
