Mobility (Wireless and Broadband)
Create the Mobile Society - the next big social trend for European regions and cities
- Is i2010 realistic?
- What is a Wireless City?
- Is it relevant to the regions present?
- See into the future with some champion mobile projects?
- How can mobile technology be used to support services envisaged in other groups (inclusive public services, regional identity, knowledge economy jobs)?
The mobile society has been heralded for some years now as the next big ICT trend, with the prediction that it will have a profound effect on working life, society and culture. The phenomenal success SMS messaging is an indication of the popularity of the medium and i2010 and its constituent programmes, particularly the 7th Framework for ICT Research and the new Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), place a heavy emphasis on ensuring that Europe takes a lead in the development of the Mobile Society.
The purpose of this theme is to assess the readiness of European regions to build that lead in terms of advanced broadband infrastructure, research and innovation capability, knowhow and perceived demand for useful applications.
Build regional broadband infrastructure, particularly where there is market failure
- Can the current broadband infrastructure support the vision of a mobile society?
- When do we think operators will be in a position to offer the support services envisaged?
- Is the necessary broadband in place now to support i2010?
- Do you think the market regulation measures envisages by i2010 will work?
- Do you think the regional broadband measures envisaged for support in Cohesion policy are enough?
i2010 sets a very ambitious vision in terms of creating and deploying the next generation of advanced high speed networks, capable of supporting applications that can be seamlessly deployed across fixed, mobile and wireless platforms and based upon convergence of TV, Internet and telecommunications standards.
In technical terms, communication networks, media, content, services and devices are undergoing digital convergence. Improvements in networks, combined with new compression techniques, create new and faster distribution channels and trigger new content formats and services (e.g. Voice over IP, Web TV, on-line music).
However, many regions continue to suffer market failure in the supply of basic broadband services. This suggests that continued public support will be needed to ensure that these regions can deploy the next generation of broadband infrastructure that will be required over the next programming period, i.e., 2007 - 2014.
This theme will explore this issue in depth as well as the nature of the public/private business models that may be required to ensure that "peripheral or rural regions can compete, particularly whether regional broadband measures envisaged for support in Cohesion policy are enough. It will try to assess whether the changes envisaged for market regulation will have a positive effect on the supply in regions.
1. Session Mobility (wireless and Broadband) 11:00 - 12:30
- The Information Society - Where are we now? Where could we be?
- Explore the current state of play in the thematic area
- Show best practice examples
- Presentation of the future EU policy agenda i2010
- Highlight the i2010 policies relevant to each theme and explain the ICT flagship initiatives in the agenda - the ageing society, the intelligent car, digital libraries
- Raise key current issues
- Look at a future vision of an Information Society
| Day 1 Tue 26 September, 11:00 - 12:30 | Animator - Derek Moore, Government Gateway Project Manager, Uniteed Kingdom |
| Welcome & Workshop Goals | Derek Moore, Government Gateway Project Manager, Uniteed Kingdom |
| Current and Future Trends in Mobility | Colm McColgan, ERNACT NETWORK, Ireland |
| EU Policy and Strategy - Innovation for the Information Society, now & 2007 - 2013 | Luisa Sanches, DG REGIO, European Commission, Belgium |
| Exhibitor Case Study 1 - e-Prodat - Data Protection Best Practices in Regional e-Government Services | Giovanni Farneti and Flavia Albano, Comune di Bologna, Italy |
| Exhibitor Case Study 2 - Broadband in Rural Areas | John Glynn, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Ireland |
| Exhibitor Case Study 3 - Derry Wireless City Project | Dermot Harrigan, Derry City Council, United Kingdom |
| Exhibitor Case Study 4 - The Wireless Cities Project | Elisabeth Jorge, Formento de San Sebastian, Spain |
| Summary of Key Issues | Anthony Okuogume, University of Oulu, Finland |
| Discussion and establishing goals for follow on session | Derek Moore, Government Gateway Project Manager, Uniteed Kingdom |
2. Session Mobility (wireless and Broadband) 15:30 - 17:00
Each Breakout session will address:
- The Regional Information Society - A Roadmap - Where do we want to go from here? How do we get there?
- Prepare participating Regions to take advantage of potential funding opportunities arising from i2010 in 2007-2013
- Assess participating regions main goals, aspirations and needs in developing the information society in their regions in each thematic area
- Create a roadmap - a regional information society strategy for each theme
- Match potential funding opportunities which may arise from i2010 to regions' goals and needs
| Day 1 Tue 26 September, 15:30 - 17:00 | Animator - Derek Moore, Government Gateway Project Manager, Uniteed Kingdom |
| Welcome & Workshop Goals | Derek Moore, Government Gateway Project Manager, Uniteed Kingdom |
| Summary of Key Issues and Challenges Raised in Previous Sessions | Anthony Okuogume, University of Oulu, Finland |
| Future Projects and Strategies Identified | Contributions from BRISE Broadband Working Group; Geoffrey Browne, Donegal County Council, Ireland & Catriona Strain, ERNACT NETWORK, Ireland |
| Discussion - Regional Needs and Outline Development Roadmap | Derek Moore, Government Gateway Project Manager, Uniteed Kingdom |
