INEC Members Endorse Open Access Fiber Networks
November 7th, 2006 by Gordon Cook
At a meeting in Stockholm tomorrow the International Network of E-communities, a group about which I will learn more, will issue a Declaration in support of open access fiber networks.
INEC has issued the following statement:
On November 8, leaders from cities around the world will endorse the INEC Declaration on Open Networks. The ceremony will take place at INEC’s Broadband Cities 2006, Kista Science City, Stockholm, Sweden.
As stated in the Declaration: “Communities deserve to have open, high bandwidth infrastructures which are operator-neutral and able to satisfy current demand as well as meet the requirements of the future in terms of both the quantity and quality of information exchange.”
The key message of the INEC Declaration on Open Networks is to underscore the imperative need for the development of networks which separate infrastructure exploitation and service provisioning in order to create a true open and competitive market for online services, while ensuring they are future proof (limitless, high end broadband – 100 mb/sec symmetric and more by today’s standards). In all, such open networks are to help ensure the best possible climate for socio-economic growth and innovation.
Signatories to the declaration are communities and their leaders. Among them, the municipality of Seltjarnarnes, Iceland (Mayor); City of Stockholm (Lord Mayor); City of Amsterdam (deputy Mayor), UTOPIA (the largest municipal fiber to the home infrastructure in the USA; Declaration signed by one of UTOPIA’s mayors); Multimedia Super Corridor, Malaysia (CEO); PortoDigital, Brazil (CEO) and the City of Almere (Mayor), the Netherlands. The Declaration has also been formally endorsed by the Dutch foundation ‘Stedenlink’ (CityLink) – directly representing 13 Dutch cities. Among them: Rotterdam, The Hague, Arnhem, Enschedé and Eindhoven.
INEC, the International Network of E-Communities, is a multi-lateral platform for leaders in broadband deployment and e-community development. Broadband Cities 2006 is this year’s instalment of INEC’s annual event dedicated to broadband best practices and the enhanced value these bring to society at large.