One of European governments' strategic aims is to make high-speed telematic networks available. Network infrastructure which is able to provide connection services at above 20 Mbps and usually at around 50-100 Mbps (available with fibre optic networks - FTTH) is an important asset for the social and economic development of an area.
After an initial phase of public projects aimed at guaranteeing access to the network for those citizens in areas not covered by the offers on the market, European governments are now progressively looking towards opportunities for setting up infrastructure to provide higher connection levels.
In 2009 Italy presented a national plan for the development of broadband to overcome its digital divide. In line with the national plan, Regione Veneto set up an agreement with the Communications Department of the Ministry for Economic Development to put into action work on infrastructure aimed at bringing transport networks up to speed (backhauling)
(Note 1) in order to overcome the digital divide affecting some local areas and therefore to enable telecommunications providers to offer their users high-speed connection services.
The project consists in the creation of public backhauling networks, in part owned by the region and in part by the nation, in line with the nature of the funding involved. A public fibre optic network will be made available, which will make a significant contribution towards improving the quality of the region's telematic infrastructure.
Overall, the first stage of the project will involve the creation of 420 km of backhauling infrastructure networks, reaching in particular into the Veneto provinces of Padova, Treviso, Venezia, Verona and Vicenza
(Figure 16.4.1).
The second phase of the operational plan set out in the agreement between Regione Veneto and the Ministry for Economic Development consists in the creation of another 413 km of backhauling infrastructure networks that will cover the whole of the region
(Figure 16.4.2).