The present document seeks, in light of the current "state of the art" and the national reality:
a) To assess the current situation with regard to next generation access networks (NGA) 1;
b) To present a number of relevant case studies at an international level;
c) To assess the situation regarding the characterization of existing networks and operator offers, the implementation of various government initiatives and regulatory measures undertaken in this regard.
After a brief presentation of the background to this study and its motivation, chapter 2 looks at the changing conditions of demand which have driven the deployment of NGA.
Chapter 3 briefly outlines the main NGA architectures adopted in Portugal and possible developments, making reference to possible solutions for PON (passive optical networks) unbundling and the solutions found in other countries.
The international scene is analyzed in Chapter 4, and an overview is presented of the evolution and current situation of NGA in several countries, including Germany, Australia, South Korea, USA, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Italy, Japan , New Zealand, United Kingdom, Sweden and Singapore.
Chapter 5 outlines the developments seen in the European regulatory framework, examining the European Commission’s (EC) Recommendation on NGA, and the “Community Guidelines for the application of State aid rules in relation to rapid deployment of broadband networks" in light of the European Economic Recovery Plan. A brief presentation is then made of the European Regulators Group (ERG) - now BEREC 2 - in terms of the regulatory approach to NGA.
Chapter 6 characterizes the current state of development of NGA in Portugal, with particular focus on government initiatives, the actions of ICP-ANACOM, the activity of operators and community networks.
Finally, the conclusions of the study are listed in Chapter 7.
1 "Next Generation Access Networks".
2 Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications.
