Network of Excellence for Broad Band Diffusion Experience Sharing 'NEBBES'

NEBBES is envisaged as a European structured Network of Networks acting as focal points for sharing knowledge and results from joint programmes of actions at network and sub-network levels to refine and valuate socio-econo-technical BB adoption models, understanding, benchmarking and socially intelligent evaluation experience from initiatives to develop Broad Band networks, or, to integrate and/or extend existing Broad Band networks.

With a structure designed to maximise local autonomy, ownership and manageability, NEBBES will form a resource platform for projects planning, coordination, evaluation and dissemination of results which will accelerate:

Development of workable evolution of BB fixed and mobile (web)services.

Development of Demand Aggregation and Business Models for BB services

• Demand forecasting for BB services
• Costing and pricing methodologies
• Dissemination and training activities
• Development of techno-economic models regarding BB deployment and services and quantification of results. In this context, the need for regulatory political actions (subsidization, etc.) will be identified at pan-European and local contexts.
• Examination and Evaluation of competing and situated Models of Long Term Co-ownership of Infrastructures and content built upon Broadband Infrastructure

Adaptation and Refinement of Procurement Frameworks

Development of workable Legal Models relevant to BB-Adoption

Examination of issues relevant to Security/Privacy aspects impacted by large scale BB-adoption

For citizens/Businesses/Governments

Initiation of research on Technology and (multimedia) Content Integration and Standards Convergence

Development and Evaluation of socially intelligent models of BB-mediated acceleration of e-health and e-learning delivery

Local coordination of BB benefits realisation planning and exploitation of BB-adoption to support regional regeneration: anywhere, anytime learning, regional foundations, inward investment,

Performing and benchmarking of current trends at national levels

• -Cooperation amongst partners and stakeholders to establish a Europe-wide benchmark
• -Coordination towards the development of BB-adoption roadmaps and action plans at local levels

Organisation of local events and support for international ones

• -Building consensus regarding NEBBES at local level and promoting NEBBES in the IST community
• -Organisation of training activities and expert colloquia at local and international levels

Design and development of The NEBBES-SPACE Community Forum and the European BB Vertical Portal (Vortal)

Examination and dissemination of Best Practice; development and Publication of Green Papers

The means by which the Network of Excellence will have a structuring and integrating effect on European research and assist in spreading European scientific excellence

The principal structuring and integrating effect of the NEBBES Network of Networks would be to:

• Encourage and facilitate the development of national, regional, sub-regional and sectoral Broadband Working Groups.
• Facilitate the development of integrated networking between all such new and existing groups, which would, for example:
• Initiate and co-ordinate Research into integration Technologies ans other projetcts seeking to resolve technical issues identified by the networks participants.
• Facilitate the development of Demand Aggregation models
• Act as focal points for sharing experience of initiatives to develop Broadband networks, to integrate and/or extend existing Broadband networks.
• Establish a library of case studies covering such initiatives and identify good practice in collaboration, business models and awareness raising activities.
• Develop "Green Papers" identifying good practice and making recommendations on key procurement, business, legal, ownership, integration, security, technical and policy issues.
• Implement a targeted dissemination plan to promote the findings of the network to key sector actors so that best practice can benefit others with similar requirements.
•  Feedback knowledge gained about users' requirements and issues to other relevant projects and clusters in the 6 th Framework Programme and encourage such projects to conduct pilots or trials of services based on innovative technologies.

NEBES will address a number of specific needs associated with collaboration between numbers of partners, in particular between public and private sector partners, specifically:

To get a better understanding of complex procurement rules, to develop best practice Business Models, legal models, and disseminate optimum solutions.

• Some (particularly Rural) partners have a need for access to any sort of Broadband;
• Some have a need to better manage their transition to better managed higher calibre Broadband Networks,
• Some have a need for more research into better Integration Technologies and optimum solutions.
• Some are concerned to manage the diversification of their telecoms industries

Thus we propose a Network of networks, where each national, regional, sub-regional and sectoral group would benefit from the commitment and ownership associated with and derived from smaller, more manageable groups with a clear (either geographic or sectoral) focus.

In order to achieve consistency and coherence, each 'regional' group would work to an agreed common structure, and feedback to the NEBBES network on a regular basis. NEBBES would collate analyse, develop 'Green Papers', publish and disseminate etc. 

Background

On 7^th March, the European Information Systems Communication Technologies and Consumer Electronics Association (EICTA) hosted an event in Brussels: Broadband Europe Call For Action

During the discussion, an EETDT director suggested a European Network for Broadband Adoption Experience Sharing. A Best Practice (Co-ordination Action) Network, across Europe for sharing experiences suitable for like areas etc - a typology of showcase-able experiments, each with lessons learnt for particular socio-economic contexts in various parts of Europe.

In order to progress this activity, EETDT held an International workshop at St John’s Innovation Centre in Cambridge on 31^st May. The workshop was supported by 39 organisations, from 10 states (listed in Annex, below), delegates from 13 were able to be present at the workshop. The workshop was used to start to develop a range of issues and ideas about the structure for NEBES. 

The result of the workshop was a consensus that NEBES should be a Central Resource focussed on the essential elements of (not prioritised):

• Examining and disseminating      Best Practice
• Developing workable                    Business Models
• Based upon                                  Collaboration
• Examining and guidance for        Procurement Rules
• Developing workable                    Legal Models
• Developing and publishing           Green Papers
• Initiate Research on                     Integration Technologies
• Initiate Research on                     Optimal Solutions
• Examining and guidance for        Long Term Ownership
• Considering                                  Content Built upon Infrastructure

In considering the “Value Added” that each partner would bring to the project, and the added value that the project would return to each partner, NEBES partners would each be each other’s “customers”.

How the proposed research activities contribute to realising the objectives of a priority thematic area and why it requires a European mobilisation of activities and resources through the means of a Network of Excellence

NEBES will address a number of specific needs associated with collaboration between numbers of partners, in particular between public and private sector partners, specifically:

To get a better understanding of complex procurement rules, to develop best practice Business Models, legal models, and disseminate optimum solutions.

The need for and relevance of NEBES will differ from partner to partner, depending upon their particular circumstances:

• Some (particularly Rural) partners have a need for access to any sort of Broadband;
• Some have a need to better manage their transition to better managed higher calibre Broadband Networks,
• Some have a need for more research into better Integration Technologies and optimum solutions.
• Some are concerned to manage the diversification of their telecoms industries

NEBES requires a European mobilisation of activities and resources, as:

• improved Broadband provision will be essential in leading to improved communication between e-Government and the citizen,  and;
• the recent slow down in telecoms companies’ activities requires innovative demand driven solutions to be developed in partnerships between the public and private sectors

Excellence

The feasibility of putting together the critical mass of resources and expertise needed to achieve the network's objectives and to be a world force on the research activities proposed

The model for putting together the critical mass of resources and expertise needed to achieve the network's objectives is based upon ownership and manageability.

Thus we propose a Network of networks, where each national, regional, sub-regional and sectoral group would benefit from the commitment and ownership associated with and derived from smaller, more manageable groups with a clear (either geographic or sectoral) focus.

In order to achieve consistency and coherence, each ‘regional’ group would work to an agreed common structure, and feedback to the NEBES network on a regular basis. NEBES would collate analyse, develop ‘Green Papers’, publish and disseminate etc.

Although it is not envisaged that there would need to be another administrative layer, between NEBES and the ‘regional’ groups, each ‘regional’ group may choose to make their own arrangements for feedback structures within their country.

The means by which the Network of Excellence will have a structuring and integrating effect on European research and assist in spreading European scientific excellence

Encourage and facilitate the development of national, regional, sub-regional and sectoral Broadband Working Groups.

Facilitate the development of integrated networking between all such new and existing groups, which would:

• Facilitater the development of Demand aggregation models
• Act as focal points for sharing experience of initiatives to develop Broadband networks, to integrate and/or extend existing Broadband networks.
• Establish a library of case studies covering such initiatives and identify good practice in collaboration, business models and awareness raising activities.
• Develop “Green Papers” identifying good practice and making recommendations on key procurement, business, legal, ownership, integration, security, technical and policy issues.
• Implement a targeted dissemination plan to promote the findings of the network to key sector actors so that best practice can benefit others with similar requirements.
• Initiate and co-ordinate Research into Integration Technologies and other projects seeking to resolve technical issues identified by the networks’ participants.
• Feedback knowledge gained about users’ requirements and issues to other relevant projects and clusters in the 6^th Framework Programme and encourage such projects to conduct pilots or trials of services based on innovative technologies.