Bulgaria To Bring Broadband to up to 1.3 Mln Homes Under Natl Strategy

The strategy, which covers the 2010-2013 period, provides for the launch next year of pilot broadband projects in 26 small Bulgarian towns with a combined population of 520,000 while another 50 towns with a combined population of around 760,000 could start to be wired for high-speed Internet in 2011, Transport and Communications Minister Aleksander Tsvetkov said in a statement.

Steps will be taken to ensure equal broadband access opportunities for people living in remote areas in Bulgaria. The strategy also aims to boost investment projects in the smaller Bulgarian municipalities, Tsvetkov said.

The strategy will be co-financed by Operational Programme Regional Development with private partners expected to come up with half of the necessary funds.

The operational programme is getting 1.36 billion euro ($2.0 billion) from European Union funds in 2007-2013.

Broadband penetration in Bulgaria, a country of 7.6 million, is expected to improve to 15% this year from 11% in 2008, Light Reading Communications (www.lightreading.com), an international provider of technology and financial analyses of the communications industry, said in a report issued in October.

($=0.6637 euro)