Broadband is a major development challenge for businesses and regions alike. State authorities now need to invest to develop broadband networks. A matter of survival!

Digital networks are tomorrow’s motorways. Their development conditions the future of their surrounding territory. “According to the European Union, the digital economy is behind 25-50% of GDP growth among member States,” explains Philippe Legrand, director of Manche Numérique. This mixed syndicate is striving to develop broadband throughout the Manche department. “And according to the OECD, 45% of the increased competitiveness of our businesses stems from the integration of these technologies in their day-to-day operations,” he adds. The impact of digital technology, in terms of territorial attractiveness, is therefore significant.

However, certain authorities are still struggling to integrate this technology in their development policy. On the contrary, those who have already invested, note a number of advantages. “They use it both directly, to connect their schools, administrative bodies… and indirectly by enabling regional businesses to access broadband services,” explains Pascal Caumont, Managing Director of Adista, a telecommunications operator specialising in web hosting services. “Many businesses decide on their location depending on the presence or the absence of an appropriate network.” It’s also a way of helping existing businesses to increase their productivity, hence ensuring sustainable regional employment. And the creation of these information gateways is also an opportunity to develop new services, to generate new activities. “Indeed, broadband enables a great variety of information to be transmitted and disseminated.”

But at what cost? “We advise regional authorities to mutualise costs and to anticipate needs,” explains Dominique Brault, chairman of Novea Created in 2006, this association is striving to disseminate new technologies within a context of sustainable development. “The advantage of fibre optics is that they are capable of integrating electric, gas or water networks…The installation of telecommunications cable ducts during civil engineering operations can therefore prove worthwhile. “

A national commitment

A number of advantages to which we can add a national commitment. Indeed, regulations are progre

ssively being implemented, within the framework of the 2012 digital economy plan and the law on the modernisation of the economy, for which a number of deadlines are approaching. For example, a decree voted on the 15th January 2009 has rendered the installation of fibre optics mandatory for all new buildings. This obligation is applicable as from the 1st of January 2010 for buildings of over 25 individual premises, and from the 1st of January 2011 for others. The decrees governing these new procedures are multiplying and oblige local loop unbundling, access to cable infrastructures for telecommunications operators…
” Novea is preparing and accompanying players throughout the emergence of these new technologies and its associated regulations,” explains Novea’s chairman.

The Manche-based association, a certified PER (Rural Centre of Excellence), increases awareness among decision-makers (elected representatives, regional authority officers, builders and developers) and trains designers, consultancies, architects, surveyors, network integrators and installers.
” In France, the digital issue has progressively emerged through its increasing use,” notes Dominique Brault. We now need to keep up with the trend and even to anticipate it. A major challenge for the region’s authorities.

Dominique Brault
Chairman of Novea
Tél. : 02 33 79 51 40

Philippe Le Grand
Managing Director of Manche Numérique
Tél. : 02 33 77 83 63

Pascal Caumont
Managing Director of Adista
Tél. : 03 83 95 53 00
Site : Adista

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