In May 2004 the Basque Government approved the so-called "Konekta Zaitez@Banda Zabala", a programme involving the deployment of broadband infrastructure to the serve entire Basque Autonomous Community (BAC). The purpose behind this initiative is to close the digital gap that has flourished under the free market and free competition operations presiding the telecommunications sector. At the same time the Government agreed to entrust ITELAZPI, S.A., a public company under the auspices of the Department of the Treasury and Public Administration, with the implementation of the project.
Practically 50% of the territory and around 5% of the population lacked access to broadband service at the time because of the zero or low profitability of the investment that would have to be made by private operators. This situation excluded a majority of the people residing in rural municipalities, thus making them second-class citizens and cutting off a large part of the territory of the BAC from local and regional development possibilities.
In 2004 an exhaustive effort was made to identify the target municipalities and population centres and to define the model of intervention.
As a result of a public tender to select operators and of the different options put forward by the operators, a model of public-private intervention was chosen. The type of technology to be used were also determined as were the the objectives to be achieved through the project. The specific objectives were: 1) intervene where broadband service is not provided by private initiative; 2) provide similar quality/price as the urban environment
The technology model is based on a WiMAX wireless network, which in addition to providing Internet access, also enables telephony services.
Public-private collaboration means that the public sector must make the necessary investment for the access network, data transmission service - taking advantage to a large extent of the radio and television broadcasting network already in place - and public subsidies for the purchase of end-user terminals. The private operator is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the access network and providing services to users, who pay a fee for the data transmission services rendered.
Phase I of the project was implemented in 2005, providing coverage for some 100 municipalities previously lacking or with a very small amount of broadband infrastructure. Phase I was essentially finalised by the end of the year. Phase II of the project was initiated in 2006, the objective being to provide coverage for population centres or areas of municipalities not targeted in Phase I. Most of Phase II has been finished. The population centres pending completion require a different technology solution than the rest and are slated for completion during the first semester of 2007.
With the finalisation of Phase II the project will be completed, and with it over ahundred base stations, more than 1,000 km of communications network, and, in short, the elimination of the social gap. Thus, all Basque citizens, regardless of their place of residence, have access to the services of the Information Society under equal conditions. And it this way we will have made it possible for our rural municipalities and regions to tackle development projects and for the Public Administrations to develop e-Administration projects knowing that they are aimed at the whole of Basque society.
You can check on this web site the Wimax service's theoretical coverage regarding the terms and conditions defined by ITELAZPI. If you need further information, please contact us or the operator.