Although it is clear that the evolution of fixed access networks requires the installation of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) to all households, the business case for deploying such networks is very uncertain. It requires significant upfront investment, while not being assured of sufficient timely...

In the current telecommunications domain, a clear trend towards vertical disintegration is observed, whereas multiple actors take up different roles in the value chain instead of one monopoly operator that is responsible for the full service delivery. Although this trend is observed in different...

In 2010, the European Commission has formulated some clear objectives to come to one single European telecommunications market by 2020 in its Digital Agenda. These objectives require large investments in new infrastructure. Optical access networks can cope with the high bandwidth required by...

A citywide fiber to the home network would certainly bring about a lot of advantages for the municipality. Still the operators tend to hold off, partly because of the very high deployment costs and often also because there is a medium high bandwidth network available. This is also the case for...

Although the phenomenon of the internet only emerged about 25 years ago, it is hard to imagine life without it. More and more people use the available connectivity for both professional and private life, and the number of services grows continuously. This increasing demand for capacity and speed...

The Digital Agenda for Europe sets out clear goals for providing high speed broadband to all its residents, but leaves the implementation of this plan to the individual Member States. Because of large economic, cultural and political differences, the roads to realizing these ambitious goals are...

Due to changes in the demographic situation of most Western European countries, interest in ICT supported care services grows fast. eCare services that foster a better care information exchange, social involvement, lifestyle monitoring services, etc., offered via smart care platforms integrated...

Underground infrastructure installation is prevalent in Belgium and both maintenance and new installations will lead to large costs. Important reductions in these costs are possible by performing road works in synergy. Formerly the overhead of the cooperation and the limited IT tools and data...