Summary of broadband development in Greece
The Digital Transformation Bible 2020-2025 was introduced by the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance. It outlines the strategy, the objectives, the strategic axes as well as actions that will lead the digital transformation in Greece. The connectivity axis acknowledges the Gigabit Society targets and lists the planned measures and actions.
National broadband strategy and policy
Responsible authorities
- The Ministry of Digital Governance (Υπουργείο Ψηφιακής Διακυβέρνησης) is responsible for the planning and implementation of national broadband policy. The Ministry is also responsible for the provision of electronic services to citizens and the wider digital transformation of the country.
- The NRA Hellenic Telecommunications and Posts Commission (HTPC, Ελληνική Επιτροπή Τηλεπικοινωνιών και Ταχυδρομείων) is responsible for the regulation and supervision of telecommunications and postal services. It provides an interactive map showing broadband availability and infrastructure.
Main aims for broadband development
The Digital Transformation Bible 2020-2025, introduced by the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance in 2020, outlines the strategy, guiding principles, the strategic axes, the horizontal and vertical interventions that will lead to the digital transformation of the Greek society and economy. Through collaborations with stakeholders from the public and private sector as well as with the research & academic community and the civil society, the strategy describes the objectives but also the implementation measures of the digital transformation strategy. The interventions and the actions of the strategy are an open and dynamic, and will continue to be co-formed and updated annually in cooperation with the competent bodies of public administration.
The strategy sets seven objectives:
- Safe, fast, and reliable access to the Internet for all
- A digital state offering better digital services to the citizens for all life events
- Development of digital skills for all citizens
- Facilitate the transformation to digital enterprise
- Support and strengthening of digital innovation
- Making productive use of public administration data
- Incorporating digital technologies to all economic sectors
The key interventions of Digital Transformation incorporate a series of actions and projects organised in six strategic axes: Connectivity, Digital Skills, Digital State, Digital Business, Digital Innovation, Integration of Technology in every sector of the economy.
The Connectivity axis acknowledges the Gigabit Society objectives:
- Ensure Gigabit connectivity for all socio-economic drivers, such as educational institutions and government agencies,
- Provide uninterrupted 5G coverage in all urban areas and all major land transport routes,
- Provide internet access for all households with a minimum speed of 100 Mbps, with the ability to upgrade to 1 Gbps.
The enhancement of mobile and fixed broadband and the achievement of ultra-high speed internet access are expected to lead to further development of the Greek digital economy. Fibre optic and 5G networks are the main challenges of the next decade. For this reason, the primary goal of the national broadband strategy is to encourage investment in next generation networks.
National and regional broadband financial instruments
So far 16 measures and actions are planned under Connectivity axis of the Digital Transformation Bible 2020-2025. Five actions are already being implemented:
- Broadband Voucher (Superfast Broadband - SFBB)
- Development of Ultra-Fast Broadband Infrastructure (Ultra-Fast Broadband - UFBB)
- Development of broadband networks in "white" rural areas - Rural Broadband
- WiFi4GR - Development of public wireless broadband internet access points
- Granting of Radio Spectrum Use Rights in the 700 MHz, 2 GHz, 3400-3800 MHz and 26 GHz radio frequency bands
A preparation of the Action Plan for the development of fifth generation (5G) networks is scheduled.
Data on broadband development and technologies in Greece
For the latest data on broadband coverage, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different broadband technologies and costs check the scoreboard reports and the country reports of the Digital Economy & Society Index (DESI).
Spectrum assignments for wireless broadband
For details on harmonised spectrum assignments consult the European 5G Observatory.
National publications and press documents
English
- Study on National Broadband Plans in the EU-28
- Guide to High-Speed Broadband Investment
- Broadband Connectivity Reports and Analyses
- Mobile and fixed broadband prices in Europe at the end of 2019
- Study on broadband coverage in Europe 2019
Greek
Contact information
BCO Greece (national Broadband Competence Office): General Secretariat of Telecommunications and Post, Ministry of Digital Governance
Address: 11 Fragkoudi Str. & Al. Pantou, Kallithea, 10163, Athens, Greece
Contact via email
Phone: +30 210 909 8890
Website
Hellenic Telecommunications and Posts Commission
Address: 60 Kifissias Avenue 151 25 Maroussi Athens, Greece
Contact via email
Phone: +30 210 615 1000
Website
Latest
This one-hour online workshop (10:00-11:00 CEST) is dedicated to WiFi Installation Companies involved in the WiFi4EU initiative. Its objective is to answer their questions in order to help overcome hurdles and accelerate network deployment. This workshop is an important opportunity in view of the approaching deadline, which risks the loss of municipalities’ € 15,000 WiFi4EU vouchers.
Marking the BCO Network's five-year milestone, the 2021 Annual Conference will address important EU policy and funding developments, as well as BCOs' achievements and goals. The agenda will include Rural Digital Futures, Gigabit targets and the Digital Compass, EU Structural Funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, State aid and evolving technology, and CEF2 Digital. The final agenda will be shared with participants directly. This online event is open to all members of the European Broadband Competence Offices Network.
Thanks to the European Regional Development Fund, Catalonia built a fibre backbone to connect over 400 government and local administration sites across the region. By offering the network’s extra capacity to the market, this ‘open network’ allows local operators to compete to use the infrastructure and deploy services to under-served rural areas. “We have generated an ecosystem of over 80 local operators to promote competence and competitiveness in these local areas with very high-quality services”, explains David Ferrer, Catalonian’s Secretary of Digital Policies, in this video interview.
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Big Picture
Find current information on broadband development in each country, as well as national strategies and policies for developing broadband.
See Also
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