16 Rev2b NGA Opinion Supplementary doc - IRG

ERG (07) 16rev2b NGA Opinion Supplementary Doc 47 / 69
channels and more than 70 radio channels. Customers will also be able to choose from a
range of exclusive sporting events which can be called individually. Trips to the video shop
will no longer be necessary: the video-on-demand store contains over 500 films available at
the touch of button 24 hours a day. The monthly fee for the basic offering is €46. This includes
a wide range of content (TV and radio programmes) and a selectable language package
(German, French or Italian). The set-top box provides customers with over 100 hours'
recording capacity. To receive this IPTV, customers need a broadband Internet connection.
Content is broadcast to conventional TV sets in the customary quality via the set-top box
which is connected to an ADSL or VDSL modem.
Wholesale VDSL offers will not be offered in short term as LLU will only come in force at the
end of Q1 in 2007.
2.12 Sweden
Fibre networks in Sweden
Compared to many other countries, a relatively large proportion of households and businesses
in Sweden have the potential to receive broadband. However, according to previous
reports from PTS, there are a number of geographical areas in Sweden that still lack access
to broadband. In other parts of the country, competition is restricted as households only have
access to one broadband access line provider.
Besides xDSL, the technologies that allow coverage mainly include fibre LANs and wireless
networks. Taking consideration of this coverage and planned rollout, approximately 136 000
households and businesses still lack access to broadband infrastructure.
Figure 2.12-1: The development of coverage of different broadband access technologies in Sweden
2003-2007
PTS assess that the coverage of fibre access, defined as the percentage of households that
has fibre cable to their home, to be approximately 18 % 2007. This corresponds to approximately
800 000 households that have fibre to their home. The coverage for years 2005 and
2006 is left out due to non-comparable statistics.
The urban (municipally) networks reach 1,3 million households with fibre access. In this context
reaching means that the household is within 100 meters from a fibre cable, but in average
they are rather within 25 meters.
Wireless and fibre networks in the municipalities with which PTS has been in contact offer
additional coverage beyond that offered via xDSL. PTS has also observed that rollout of
broadband infrastructure is taking place in certain municipalities, mainly through the remaining
central government grants for broadband rollout.