1st Newsletter of PPP4Broadband project is out!

1. Dear Reader,
Welcome to the 1st issue of the PPP4Broadband project newsletter. In
this issue you will read about the:
• project idea
• lead Partner: AIEC
• project partner: Technical University of Gabrovo
• project partner: ADEP S.A.
• events related to project progress and
• news about broadband development
• webpage, dissemination pack
Quality infrastructure is the key element for development of the regions
in order to attract investors, entrepreneurs and also to improve the qual-
ity of life of citizens. Broadband is such kind of the infrastructure which
has, especially in the South East European rural areas, significant gaps in
the coverage, capacity and quality.
As private as well as public sector alone cannot solve the Broadband gap
in South East European rural areas, there is the opportunity to establish
successful cooperation between Public and Private Partners.
PPP4Broadband project aims to improve Broadband coverage in South
East European rural areas by Public-Private Partnership.
Content
Page 1-2:
The project idea
Lead Partner : Agency
for Innovation and Eu-
ropean Cooperation
Page 3-4:
Project partner : Tech-
nical University of
Gabrovo
Page 4-5:
Project Partner : Patras
Municipal Enterprise
for Planning & Devel-
opment - ADEP S.A.
Page 6:
Project progress

2. 2
What is PPP4Broadband project?
Project will research 9 PPP models tackling Basic, NGA and
Ultra-fast broadband. In each participating country there will
be established PPP4Broadband National Centre of Excellence
with role to provide knowledge experience, guidance (using
developed PPP Models) and standardization. Network of PP-
P4Broadband Centres of Excellence will be established in or-
der to assure the quality and availability of services also after
project closure.
Proof of concept
To prove and to demonstrate the project concept, PPP4Broad-
band methodology will be demonstrated in three pilot areas
(Greece, Macedonia and Romania) where investments based
on three selected PPP4Broadband models will be elaborated.
Lead Partner : Agency for Innovation and Eu-
ropean Cooperation
AIEC is an NGO focusing on innovation and research on
the national as well as on the international level. AIEC is de-
veloping and maintaining innovation activities, technology
transfer and promotion of European projects. AIEC’s objec-
tive is to strengthen the collaboration between its partner
institutions and develop the innovation activities at national
level.
AIEC would like to become one
of the top Innovation agencies
connecting basic research with
practical application. Through
national activities, it aims to act as important subject that
spreads innovation technologies across the regions where it
operates. AIEC is providing the supporting activities which
are strengthening the competitiveness and innovation capac-
ities within region.
AIEC is non-governmental non-profit organisation with
strategic focus to support the development of transregional
cooperation in the areas of Innovation Services, Environ-
ment and ICT with strong focus on two thematic areas:
1. The development of the transregional
tools, standards and methodologies improv-
ing the national/regional frameworks or gov-
ernance and generating, capitalisation and
2. financing of Innovation through tran-
sregional cooperation of private/RTD and
public actors.
AIEC establishment members are bringing to NGO expertise
from all these priority areas.
AIEC as a Lead Partner of PPP4Broadband project brings
important expertise to PPP4Broadband project as it has
experience in ICT development, Broadband development,
e-government strategies and frameworks elaboration and
from implementation of PPP models, especially in services
and also experience in support of RTD cooperation between
businesses, universities and public actors.
Project rollup

3. 3
AIEC has experience from 2003 in ICT development in Brati-
slava region and throughout the whole Slovakia and was sup-
porting many activities oriented in the same line as the pro-
ject content (especially in telecommunication field).
These experiences, experience with DLA methodology
(through participation in DLA Interreg IVC as external ex-
perts), with Broadband and e-government development will
be used during WP4 leadership. AIEC will focus on develop-
ment of PPP4Broadband Centres of Excellence SEE Network.
AIEC’s associated strategic partner within PPP4Broad-
band project is the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak
Republic.
Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic
Ministry of Economy is responsible for preparation and im-
plementation of various national policies, strategies and pol-
icy instruments at national level. As the most important are
the following:
• It’s expected that the ministry will be the responsible
managing authority for implementation of some structural
funds in the programming period 2014-2020. Some of them
will be used as supportive policy tool for broadband develop-
ment.
• It is co-responsible for policies, tools and frameworks
for ICT industry in Slovakia, where ICT industry is key stake-
holder in PPP4Broadband model
• It is responsible for support of entrepreneurship, in-
dustrial development, investment support (through agency
SARIO) where the development of infrastructure (including
Broadband) is quite important success factor
Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic is supporting the
project at national as well as regional level:
• Project is being implemented in Slovakia through
strong cooperation with relevant national policy stakehold-
ers, thus is secured that implementation will be fully in line
with Slovakian development strategies
• Ministry will secure political sustainability of project
for post project phase
• Ministry will be partner of National Centre of Excel-
lence of PPP4Broadband
• Ministry will bring to the project implementation
unique knowledge and expertise from the ICT industry, PPP
model implementation in Slovakia and infrastructure devel-
opment.
Project partner : Technical University of Ga-
brovo
Established in 1964 as an institution of higher education
training specialists for the industry in Central Bulgaria, to-
day TU-Gabrovo seeks recognition as a modern European
university. Its curricula are consistent with the current mar-
ket conditions and business requirements for preparation of
highly qualified specialists.
The Technical University of Gabrovo strives to be one step
ahead of other universities. Grounds for this reputation are
the established traditions in teaching advanced courses in
engineering, technology, economics, social work and ad-
ministration. The high scientific level, the collaboration with
business and the highly qualified teaching staff make TU-Ga-
brovo a preferred university.
Today the Technical University of Gabrovo is a renowned
educational and research centre. The University Campus in-
cludes 6 spacious study buildings with well-equipped lecture
halls and laboratories. A new University Library has been
built, with modern infrastructure and technical equipment.
More than 6,500 students pursue their studies at the Techni-
cal University of Gabrovo – 3,500 full-time, 3,000 part-time
and 75 are Ph.D. students. Some of them are foreign citizens
from Algeria, Germany, Greece, Iran, Macedonia, Poland,
Syria, Turkey, Latvia as well as regions inhabited by Bulgarian
population in Ukraine, Moldova and Albania. The students
following Bachelor degree courses are more than 4,300, while
those studying for Master degrees are 900.
The Technical University of Gabrovo is a lead-
ing institution for training of qualified person-
nel and conducting scientific research, meet-
ing the European standards.

4. 4
The structure of the Technical University of Gabrovo includes
three faculties: Electrical Engineering and Electronics, Me-
chanical and Precision Engineering and Economics, as well
as the Technical College of Lovech and the Department for
Language and Specialized Training.
The University employs a total of 359 people, 205 of which are
academic staff.
The Technical University of Gabrovo takes pride in its thou-
sands of graduates, who pursue successful careers in this
country and abroad and contribute to the development of
modern society.
Technical University of Gabrovo’s associated strategic partner
within PPP4Broadband project is the Ministry of Transport,
Information Technology and Communications in Bulgaria.
Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Com-
munications in Bulgaria is the ministry that determines gov-
ernment policy in the field of transport and ICT. As part of
the Department are “e-governance”, dealing with the issues
of e-government and its imple-
mentation, “Information Tech-
nologies”, which works on poli-
cies related to the development
of information technology in
Bulgaria, “EU Coordination
and International Cooperation”
which works on policies relat-
ing to the EU and international
cooperation and the “National Transport policy”, dealing
with transport issues.
Project Partner : Patras Municipal Enterprise
for Planning & Development - ADEP S.A
“Patras Municipal Enterprise for Planning & Development
- ADEP S.A.” is the main development company of the Mu-
nicipality of Patras and is located in the city of Patras, capital
of Region of Western Greece. The company employees highly
qualified personnel with various skills who deal with a wide
range of activities and also it cooperates with external experts
on a stable as well as ad hoc basis. ADEP S.A. has been the
main consulting mechanism for most of the city large scale
development projects for years (e.x. foundation and opera-
tion of the Recycling Centre of Western Greece, elaboration
of the study on Patras Craft Park, upgrading the quality of life
of the old part of the city Patras, implementation of Patras
URBAN initiative, environmental training programs for pu-
pils since 1994 etc.).
During the current programming period (2007-2013) it is
much more empowered through the development of Nation-
al projects but also EU funded projects. ADEP S.A is highly
committed to quality services and procedures and several ini-
tiatives have been undertaken to safeguard this priority (e.x
adjustment to ISO 9001 standards, compliance with new na-
tional quality standards for companies dealing with National
projects, regular training courses etc.).
City of Patras – Broadband development
Since 2008, several broadband infrastructures are developed
in the city of Patras, including 88 kms of the Municipal Fiber
Optics Network, but also wireless connections in areas that
covered today with wifi networks. The Municipality of Patras
had also a regulatory role in private fiber optics infrastruc-
tures that developed within last five years in the city of Patras
from Telecom operators, in order to improve their own net-
works or the quality/variety of their services.

5. 5
The exploitation of the existing broadband networks but also
the provision of e-services in a unified and equal to all citi-
zens’ approach is one of the main targets of the Broadband
policy of the Municipality of Patras. Due to the fact that the
city of Patras includes disadvantaged or isolated areas, the
need for the development of an integrated Broadband strat-
egy and the coverage of these Rural/Less populated areas is
necessary. On the other hand the economic crisis and the
current fiscal conditions of the public sector in Greece are
more demanding than ever for the activation of the private
sector and the attraction of investments in the field of Broad-
band networks or services.
The PPP4Broadband project is an excellent opportunity for
the city of Patras to exchange knowledge or best practices in
South East European space, to exploit the broadband net-
works of the city of Patras in a more sophisticated or mod-
ern way, to study new models of PPP cooperation with the
interregional cooperation with other European partners and
finally to test the results of these activities by developing pilot
cases in selected rural or less populated areas.
Broadband Internet in Schools for supporting e-Class
Suite and Online Lessons in the city of Patras
Municipal Building (9.5.2013) - Press confer-
ence for the Connection of the 40 first school
complexes to Patras Metropolitan Fiber Optics
Network
The Greek Municipalities during the last years developed and
constructed broadband infrastructures, that can significantly
contribute to the local economic growth but they can also
make the Greek Municipalities more competitive, attracting
investments in technology, knowledge and innovation.
The Municipality of Patras, is one of the most active Greek
Municipalities in the field of Broadband development, having
constructed a Fiber Optics Network of 88 Km, exploiting the
financing of the ERDF structural funds and the Operational
Programme “Information Society”, with a total budget of 4.2
Million Euros.
Municipality of Patras cooperated with the Computer Tech-
nology Institute, which has the role of National coordinator
of the Greek School Network, for the activation of the Met-
ropolitan Fiber Optics Network of Patras in order to inter-
connect all the School Units in the city of Patras, providing
broadband Internet and Networked Services through the
backbone infrastructures of the Greek Research & Technol-
ogy Network.
In May, 9th 2013 the Municipality of Patras along with the
technical team of the CTI announced the interconnection of
the first 40 School Complexes (almost 100 school Units), sup-
porting the Teaching community with new Educational tools
and giving the opportunity to serve the modern educational
needs.
The direct benefits from this initiative for the Teaching com-
munity and the students are the access to Virtual Classes and
Lessons (e-Class services), the access to advanced Video Ap-
plications, the use of collaborative training environments, the
better management of the existing Information systems and
IT infrastructures of the school units etc. The Municipality of
Patras will have the option to monitor the operational status
of the Fiber Optics Network in real time, to further exploit
the network to link other buildings of the Public or Private
sector, to locate directly the damages correlated with public
works or possible hardware failures.

6. 6
Project progress
The kick-off meeting was held in Strbské Pleso, Slovakia, the
29th-30th January 2013 and the 1st project meeting was held
in Novi Sad, Serbia, the 29th May 2013. Every day project and
financial managing is assured by Lead Partner.
In the first 6 months that is behind us communication plan of
the project was realized, the web-site – www.ppp4broadband.
eu – was launched and the tools of the project’s inner com-
munication were determined and started to be used.
Partners started the dissemination of knowledge concerning
the project through the Initial Info Days where items of the
1st dissemination package – leaflet, folder, note-book and
pencil - were started to be distributed.
Also for the wider communication of the project idea and its
actual results press releases were realised by all partners based
on the media lists that they had made up on their media con-
tacts.
As for the professional work, all partners have been deeply
involved in research activities which aims to develop mod-
els and guidelines for using PPP models in practice. To be
able to develop models for successful use in practice, project
also need to take into account similarities and differences of
Broadband development and PPP legislation frameworks in
all participating countries. For this purpose, the leader of
the tasks, ICT Technology Network Institute from Slovenia,
prepared 2 questionnaires, Template for Broadband develop-
ment and Template for PPP legislation and sent them to part-
ners to fill in. All partners sent their feedback, which was then
used as a basis for a Summary report. Summary report was
presented to all partners during the 1st project meeting in
Novi Sad. Now members work in work groups which are re-
sponsible for research of different PPP models each based on
different broadband technology – Basic, NGA and Ultrafast.
Website of the project:
www.ppp4broadband.eu
Dissemination package: