Imagine one single improvement that can change the fabric of society for generations to come. Something that will make an impact on how we communicate, on our healthcare, our education, our innovation. And how we share moments across generations and borders. It’s called True Fiber. And it’s here, now.
The microprocessor and the Internet have revolutionized our lives. Optical fiber is the next cornerstone of our information age.
Since Charles K. Kao’s breakthrough for which he won a Nobel Prize, fiber optic infrastructure is replacing old copper-based technologies to drastically increase the capacity of digital information transmission.
Fiber optic cables are strands as thin as human hair made of flexible glass that are used to carry pulses of light which translates into digital information.
Fiber optic cable has several key advantages over other communication technologies. These include:
Fiber capacity is virtually unlimited. One single fiber pair can send and receive unbelievable amounts of data, equivalent to the upload or download of 12,928 standard DVDs, or every major Hollywood movie ever produced, transferred in 1 second. A standard fiber cable (with less than 1 cm diameter) will hold 96 pairs of fiber.
Since there is almost no theoretical limit to fiber capacity, it grows as the needs of our society grow. Older technologies have already peaked, and any further small gains need to overcome an exponentially more complicated technical challenge.
Simply put, fiber is a future-proof technology available today.
Fiber offers a connection to the home that is more than 100 times faster than today’s average Internet speeds. The uplink is just as fast as the downlink, known as Open Symmetric Gigabit.
This increased speed means innovation boosts, increased learning and greater economic growth.
As the fiber cable is non-electrical it does not emit, nor is it affected by electromagnetic radiation interference (produced by modern society or sun flares). This means that fiber is a better choice for the environment and for operating a robust network with zero downtime.
Fiber is very secure. Because it’s practically impossible to eavesdrop on a fiber cable, it’s been the preferred communication method for governments and the military for several decades. By phasing out old, insecure copper-based networks, homes and businesses get access to secure communication.
After clean water and electricity, fiber direct to the home is the best infrastructure investment a nation can make.
There is a strong correlation between real broadband and GDP growth. According to the World Bank, a 10% increase in broadband deployment generates up to 1.4% GDP growth. A similar correlation is seen with employment.*
Broadband capacity is vital to our nation’s competitiveness.
* Ohsen Khalil, World Bank Group Director for Global ICT, 2009
The world needs innovation. Innovation needs fiber. Indeed the innovation potential of the fiber have been described in many cases (World Economic Forum, OECD, EU) research clearly indicate that building an open and neutral fiber infrastructure is the best way to boost economic growth. An early example of build out of fiber infrastructure on a city wide scale is Stokab in Stockholm (started in 1993).
Today, low Internet speeds threaten nations or regions ability to stay competitive. Challenges to modern society need innovative solutions, with a fiber infrastructure available for all, any new digital service is immediately available to everybody connected.
We all want what’s best for the next generation, and should strive to give them every advantage possible.
However, if we do not address Internet speed and capacity, educational quality will suffer, particularly in math and science, which could undermine any national innovation-driven competitiveness strategy.
Fiber enables education; empowering schools all over the world, making sure our children have access to the opportunities for a better future.
Increased Internet capacity will facilitate the development of a number of cutting-edge approaches to healthcare, leading to cost savings and an increase in the availability of quality health solutions.
Broadband-enabled telemedicine services are shifting the healthcare paradigm by enabling in-home care and real-time patient monitoring, focusing on disease prevention and enhancing personal wellbeing.*
Healthcare professionals can connect instantly to hospital databases, constantly updating medical records. Through video links, surgeons can work together with other specialists in real-time during operations.
* The Impact of Broadband on Telemedicine – A study commissioned by the US Chamber of Commerce
ViaEuropa brings an entrepreneurial approach to construction national digital infrastructure.
We have identified three founding principles that show how our approach differs from anything previously seen in the communications market.
These principles give consumers in access to much greater service choices at better prices, while significantly boosting innovation.
ViaEuropa is and always will be; Neutral, Open and Transparent.
ViaEuropa is making significant investments in the network. This infrastructure will be open for anybody that wants to develop and sell services to households.
All service providers will get the same access to the ViaEuropa network and we will not be a competing service provider.
When households and businesses connect to ViaEuropa True Fiber, they will be able to choose between a multitude of services and service providers.
By making it easy to change services and suppliers at any time we give consumers true control over the services they use.
Many consumers do not fully know what they pay for communication services such as Internet, phone, TV, video on demand and mobile subscriptions.
ViaEuropa makes sure people can make price comparisons, as all service provider information including prices are easily available.
ViaEuropa network is connected to the most modern international back bone. This enables our service providers to easily connect to Internet giants such as Facebook, Netflix & Google.
Our partners own and operate the national or regional fiber infrastructure.
Our Communication Nodes (PoPs) are integrated with local infrastructure facilities that already serve households and institutions.
ViaEuropa will bring true fiber to homes and buildings based on two methods.
The infrastructure provider will install a fiber cable to the home or building from the closest access point (PoP). Fiber is then connected to a small device that converts light traveling over the fiber to ethernet ports, resulting in a speed of 1,000 Mbps.
There will be a data socket (RJ 45) in every office or apartment where users connect an Ethernet cable to any standard device.
Fiber To The Home
Fiber To The Building
Every connection from VE will comply with the following statements:
Openness means that users can choose between a multitude of high-speed services and suppliers that provide them. With just a few clicks consumers can buy, change or upgrade any service. That means more choices, better, cheaper, faster services, and a future-proof offer that will revolutionize your life for the next 50 years.
Modern users want to simultaneously send and receive information at the same speed. All our connections have the same uplink and downlink speed.
No one likes waiting for things to upload/download. For a faster world, VE will only install connections that can handle 1,000 Mbps upload/download from day one.
ViaEuropa is experienced in creating the right local consortium to enable a successful deployment of “Fiber to All”.
ViaEuropa will engage as the Open Service Exchange Operator, providing a neutral marketplace for all service providers so that customers can choose from a multitude of media and communications services.
A private or public Infrastructure Company will build and own the passive long term infrastructure.
Examples of consortia:
IBC is a private company that build and operates the fiber to all network in Israel. The IBC ownership: 40% by Israel Electrical (IEC), 30% ViaEuropa Group (controlling shareholder) together with Rapac Communication & Infrastructure, BATM Advanced Communications and Zisapel Assets.
Jonas Birgersson is a Swedish Entrepreneur who has founded a number of companies and organizations. He is known for creating two billion dollar companies before reaching the age of 30.
Born 1971, Birgersson has previously founded Framtidsfabriken where he was CEO; and Svenska Bredbandsbolaget where he served as Chairman of the Board.
Both Framtidsfabriken AB (framfab) and B2 Svenska Bredbandsbolaget AB (BBB) changed their respective industries at their creation. Framfab was (and still is) the largest powerhouse of digital design & ecommerce outside of the US. Selected long-standing clients include Volvo, IKEA & Nike.
BBB was the pioneer of true broadband and is widely regarded as the world’s first modern broadband operator. From startup in 1998 to exit in 2005, the company was sold for a billion dollars to Telenor.
For the last 15 years his focus has been to create “the de-constructed value chain” that will allow the profit built out of FTTH to all.
Motto: “Fiber to all”.
Mattias Linedberg is a 20 years industry veteran. Prior to taking on the CEO position at ViaEuropa Lindberg held several senior positions at Framfab with various responsibilities ranging from project managed to business development and sales.
Lindberg is also a co-founder and was the CEO of Bredband2 during the phase when it became the leading independent Virtual Internet Service Provider.
Married with three children.
Mr Sandaa has more than two decades of advanced communication technology experience, working as a Communications Officer with the Norwegian Army between 1980–1997. He was Project Manager Infrastructure for ElTele AS between 1997–2000. Sandaa worked as Director Customer Care and Billing with Formus Communication between 2000–2001, and was CTO at Portit AS between 2001–2005. He is currently CTO/COO at Labs² Group AB.
ViaEuropa invented the Open Network model in Stockholm in 1999. ViaEuropa is a Open Service Exchange Operator (OSEO) that today operate an eco-system with over 100 networks and more than 150 Service Providers in 9 countries. Most of these networks are constructed in partnerships with local infrastructure companies.
Cisco is the main technology provider of ViaEuropa.
