The objective of the study was to assess the contribution that satellite technologies could bring into a global European federated programme to bridge the digital divide on a pan-European scale, encompassing the 25 European Union countries, plus Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Albania, Andorra, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Switzerland and Vatican City.
The study has enabled to consolidate understanding of broadband market needs from now to 2020, to derive appropriate mission requirements, system specifications, and then to design, size, assess costs, performance and benefits of the most appropriate satellite-based solutions.
The study combined the knowledge and experience of key industry players, which are fully representative of the whole Telecoms Value Chain in Europe, namely: EADS Astrium, Eutelsat, EADS Space Services, Aramiska, Interoute, Vinci Energies, Nera and ESYS Consulting.
The one day public presentation of DDSO enabled to present market, technical and financing outcomes of the study and to debate on two fundamental questions addressed through DDSO: What contribution can satellite services offer to the European governments for the e-Inclusion of citizens and regions for the 15 coming years? What should be the key role of Institutions in Europe to make it a reality?
During the public presentation, emphasis was put on the need to follow a stepped approach in order to address needs of the digital divide both on a short (referred to as Target 1) and medium / longer term (referred to as Target 2) basis.
Technical and Accompanying Measures proposed for Target 1 are based on the stimulation of the demand in order to increase the volume of traffic for preliminary economies of scale. As an immediate starter in reducing the digital divide, Target 1 has to take benefit of the existing in-orbit satellite capacity.
Target 2 has to be endorsed and built as a European Federated Programme, driven by a political willingness to reduce the e-divide on a broad scale. It provides an example of development and deployment of an optimized solution to provide affordable services to allow the emergence and growth of a sustainable market. The way forward finally retained in DDSO. recommends focusing ESA intervention on the most advanced part of the Target 2 system and to enlarge the use of this type of system to complementary services such as emergency services to civil security bodies or 'welfare' high rate communications means to military users.
Further details on this study can be found in the Final Presentation and the Executive Summary which can be downloaded by clicking under documentation at the top-right of this page.
For planet earth and beyond
