Dreaming broadband...

This is a speech held by Neelie Kroes just a few days back at the "Fibre to home conforence" - I never knew there was such a thing. But hey, at least Neelie does... and indeed she should since she is one of the many vice persidents of the European Commission and responsible for issues connected to any digital agenda. I am happy to see that the European Commission is turning to the most pressing European issues: "broadband" for everybody, now that certainly beats foreign affairs and diplomacy efforts in and around the Maghreb countries.

Let's hear what Neelie Kroes has to say:

Milan, 10 February 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is great to be here with you looking at our digital future. I hope to find new 'digital buddies' today, and that we will be able to implement the Digital Agenda and build a better future for Europe together.

At the heart of the Digital Agenda is ensuring that Europeans can get all the advantages and benefits that come from access to superfast broadband. Succeeding in this ambition is central to our economic future.

Maximising broadband access obviously takes a mix of players and a mix of technologies, and the role of fibre is central. You are not our only consideration, but you are absolutely key. It not possible to maximise access while failing on fibre. That is how seriously we take your issues.

While the EU broadband market is moving towards higher speeds because of fibre and cable, time is against us. The current rate of new connections – now down to 25,000 a day – is simply not enough to meet our 2020 targets. So we have to intensify our efforts and get higher investments on the ground. Read the whole speech here.

I must say that these lines sound very convincing. This is yet another example of how the European Union "connects" to our everyday life. By 2020 I will 37 years old and I'll be online faster than I have dreamed to be. I apologize for my sarcasm at the beginning of this log.Neelie Kroes will provide the basic tool that guarantees for a lot of education oppurtunities. Lets hope, that by 2020 there are enough people who are actually capable of using these oppurtnities wisely (we will keep trying to contribute!).