The Welsh Assembly is to meet with suppliers before starting its project to extend its broadband infrastructure to tackle the digital divide, it was announced on 14 April 2005. The Assembly is starting an exercise to investigate the broadband market and will hold talks with industry experts and suppliers from around the world.
The exercise will focus on the Regional Innovative Broadband Support (RIBS) project which is aimed at providing the technology to areas deemed as "broadband blackspots".
The move is in line with a key part of the Assembly's broadband programme, an initiative to aggregate demand across the public sector. This is to be achieved through the Lifelong Learning Network, which will link up schools, libraries and IT learning centres across Wales.
The Assembly has issued a "prior information notice" outlining the requirements that prospective suppliers will have to meet in order to become involved in the procurement process. The Assembly aims to start a tendering process in the EU official journal later in 2005.
Andrew Davies the Welsh Assembly Government's e-minister said:
"Our objective is to improve the competitiveness of Wales by increasing the availability of affordable broadband across the country. Through the RIBS project we are seeking to bridge the digital divide and help future-proof the broadband environment in Wales.'
"With broadband take-up increasing rapidly across Wales, this is a huge opportunity for suppliers to help us to meet our objective and service the needs of consumers and businesses in Wales."
Quelle: KABLEnet, 15.04.2005
