The Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications and the National Association of Municipalities will cooperate in the construction and maintenance of a Single portal for telecommunications networks and physical infrastructure. Deputy Minister Valery Borissov hosted today a meeting on the upcoming interaction regarding the future legal act that will regulate this field.
The portal will contain the whole legislation and information on the necessary procedures defining the rules for the construction of infrastructure and the deployment of electronic communications networks. The Single information point will provide samples of documents which potential investors should fill in. The portal will play the role of a register of operators that have deployed cables based on a submitted notification to the portal and the relevant municipality. This will put to an end the anonymous laying of cables and will give clarity for the investor/operator.
In order to be launched the portal, municipalities should submit minimal information to the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications on the existing infrastructure, as well as on the forthcoming construction of new objects and routes. The Single point will provide information on current and planned activities. One example of such activity is the obligation of municipalities within a month to upload information on enforced orders regarding approved detailed plans.
Through the portal, when local administrations carry out repair works on municipal roads, may be invited suppliers of heating, water, electricity, telecommunication operators and others for joint investment with shared capital expenditure.
Deputy Minister Valery Borissov presented to the mayors the new European Commission initiative for ultra fast internet. The aim is to provide free access to the World Wide Web at speeds of at least 30 megabits in the main centers where people spend their daily lives - administrations, schools, hospitals, railway stations, library, parks.
The WiFi4EU initiative will be financed under the Connecting Europe Facility. The Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications will support and provide guidance on all projects to Bulgarian municipalities in this area, said Deputy Minister Valery Borissov. He added that the experts of the Ministry will organize a special information day, during which will be explained in detail the opportunities for application. The Connecting Europe Facility provides a total amount of € 20 million for high-speed Internet. For each separate project will be allocated up to € 20,000.
The first call for proposals will be announced in the spring of 2017, but MTITC and the association of municipalities agreed that the mayors will start still now the elaboration of projects to fit the principle "first come, first served", which will be applied during the realization of WiFi4EU. During the discussion of the initiative among the EU member states, MTITC has successfully maintained the inclusion of support for all countries into the requirements for granting of funding, nevertheless, the willingness of municipalities is of great importance, said the Deputy Minister. In his words, the benefits of free Internet access for urban development are visible to the population. Valery Borissov gave as an example Zlatograd where MTITC jointly with the International Telecommunication Union in 2015 implemented a project on wireless Internet in the park area of the city.
