Digital connectivity in Lithuania

National digital connectivity strategy and policy

Responsible authorities

• Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (Susisiekimo ministerija) is responsible for state policy in the area of digital connectivity development, coordination and control of its implementation - especially in areas where this infrastructure is not available or there is no competition in providing digital connectivity services. The Ministry acts as the national Broadband Competence Office.
• The State Digital Solutions Agency (Valstybės skaitmeninių sprendimų agentūra) is participating in the process of shaping state policy in the development of information and communications technologies in Lithuania and coordinating its implementation.
• Public Enterprise Plačiajuostis Internetas (Broadband Internet) is a non-profit entity owned by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and is responsible for the implementation of the national digital connectivity strategy. Plačiajuostis internetas is operating a public backhaul wholesale fibre network as a wholesale operator, providing all interested retail operators access to this network on equal terms, thus enabling retail operators to provide fast Internet access services to households, businesses, public and private institutions, including municipalities, schools, libraries, hospitals in rural areas of Lithuania.
• The Communications Regulatory Authority (Ryšių reguliavimo tarnyba) is the independent national regulatory institution that monitors and regulates Lithuania’s digital connectivity markets.

Main aims for digital connectivity development

The Lithuanian plan for ultra-fast broadband development was launched by the Ministry of Transport and Communications in October 2021. The plan speeds up the implementation of electronic communications infrastructure so that in the period 2021-2027 internet speeds of at least 100 Mbps should reach households and public institutions not only in big cities, but also in rural areas. When planning investments, the main public and economic activity spaces and public institutions will be considered and connected to the digital connectivity network.

In October 2021, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, together with public sector institutions and telecommunications service operators, signed a memorandum by which all parties agreed to achieve 100 Mbps connection speed availability to at least 95% of Lithuanian households by 2025.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications set up a working group on 5G to discuss and develop together with stakeholders the Guidelines for the development of next generation mobile networks (5G) in the Republic of Lithuania for 2020-2025, adopted in 2020. The guidelines contain a set of measures to facilitate the deployment of 5G in Lithuania, e.g. measures on access to sites for radio-network building. A memorandum on 5G development in Lithuania, signed in October 2021, pledges that by 2025 international land transport corridors Via Baltica & Rail Baltica would offer uninterrupted 5G connection services. A 5G investment project is being operated by Plačiajuostis internetas.

Regulation measures

Rules for Electronic communications infrastructure installation, maintenance and use are adopted by the Director of the Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT). Documents set basic requirements for designing, building, construction, installation or reconstruction, repair of electronic communications infrastructure. They also set requirements for the design, construction and installation of new or reconstructing existing buildings (including measures of cost reduction), as far as these works are related to electronic communications infrastructure in these construction projects. Measures on procedures and conditions for common use of electronic communications infrastructure and other purposes (pipelines, cables, ducts, manholes, retaining structures, including towers, masts, buildings, structures introductions, building systems) and other facilities are under implementation.

The Communications Regulatory Authority (RRT) assumes the functions both of single information point and national dispute settlement body. It is expected that these amendments will further improve possibilities to expand digital connectivity infrastructure in Lithuania, as operators will have better possibilities to use alternative infrastructures for digital connectivity development.

In its roadmap to implement the Connectivity Toolbox, Lithuania plans to enhance transparency of existing infrastructure and civil works with a new national web-based geographic information system. It intends to develop guidelines to facilitate legal, technical and administrative conditions for mobile operators and apply a flexible authorisation regime, with a focus on local licensing, infrastructure sharing or other market needs for the 26 GHz band.

The Communications Regulatory Authority developed an advanced tool for end-users for the measurement of internet access speeds which allows end-users to measure real speeds of their internet access services.

National and regional digital connectivity financial instruments

The State supports the development of digital connectivity networks in rural areas that are unattractive for private investors using various funds (ERDF, EARDF, RRF) for construction of very high capacity networks in remote areas.

Lithuania’s recovery and resilience plan supports the digital transition with reforms and investments of EUR 73 million in connectivity to further develop the rollout of very high-capacity networks, including 5G and fibre infrastructure in rural and remote areas.

An investment project High-speed communication infrastructure aims to connect 5 000 locations to gigabit speeds in the areas where these services would not be provided on a commercial basis. The follow-up project plans to provide ultra-fast digital connectivity to 14,909 households, 1,348 companies and enable 138 electronic communications service providers to use the infrastructure created during the project. 

Data on digital connectivity development and technologies in Lithuania

For the latest data on digital connectivity coverage, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different digital connectivity technologies check the Digital Decade country reports.

National and EU publications and press documents

English

• Broadband Investment Handbook
• Mobile and Fixed Broadband Prices in Europe 2023
• Study on National Broadband Plans in the EU27

Lithuanian

• Spartaus plačiajuosčio ryšio plėtros planas 2021-2027
• RRT matavimų portalas

Contact information

BCO Lithuania (national Broadband Competence Office): Ministry of Transport and Communications (Susisiekimo ministerija)

Address: Gedimino av. 17, 01505 Vilnius, Lithuania
Contact via email
Phone: +370 5 239 3870
Website

PE Plačiajuostis Internetas

Address: Sausio 13-osios g. 10, 04347 Vilnius, Lithuania
Contact via email
Phone: +370 5 243 0882
Website

Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania (Ryšių reguliavimo tarnyba)

Address: Mortos Str. 14, 03219 Vilnius, Lithuania
Contact via email
Phone: +370 5 210 56 33
Website