Telekom Austria details high-speed broadband plans

Two thirds of Austrian homes will be covered by fiber broadband networks by 2015, new plans from incumbent Telekom Austria reveal.
 
The operator plans to connect 2.75 million homes in urban and rural areas to its fiber-optic GigaNet network in the next five years and will begin deploying LTE early 2012 with the aim of offering 4G coverage in all main towns in the same timeframe.
 
Fiber coverage is due to penetrate 50% of homes by end-2011, as the group seeks to meet growing demand for data services, and to cash in on the digital economy. “Broadband rollout is not a luxury, but an essential infrastructure requirement for any country,” chief Hannes Ametsreiter says.
 
With that in mind, the group also plans to deploy high-speed fixed and mobile networks in areas where it isn’t economically viable, to avoid creating a digital divide. Doris Bures, federal minister for technology explains the goal is to “catapult Austria to the top of the ICT nations,” by ensuring equal access to broadband for all citizens.