I . D I G I TA L I N F R A S T R U C T U R E Germany aims to become a global leader in the area of market penetration and use of digital services. Demand for rapid Internet access is rising sharply: this is as a result of increasing volumes of video communication and transfer, simultaneous use of digital devices in the home, digital learning and other applications, greater use of networking in the home to optimise energy costs, for example, or for telecommuting. Our objective is for all citizens to be able to take advantage of the benefits of digitisation. For this to happen, Germany needs ubiquitous high-speed networks. The Federal Government aims to use an efficient mix of technologies to provide ubiquitous broadband infrastructure delivering download speeds of at least 50 Mb per second by 2018. This will simultaneously lay the foundation for equal standards of living in rural and urban areas. The construction of high-speed networks relies on government stimulus: by focusing on framework conditions, we are creating optimum incentives for market-driven expansion. Adequate frequencies are being made available to support high-speed access in very rural areas, while intelligent mobile services are helping to expedite penetration rates. Government support is directed towards those areas where commercial development is not viable. Mobility is increasingly supported by digital infrastructure. We can access apps, find the best bus or train connections on the go or identify the way to the nearest bank. Motorists are digitally diverted from traffic congestion. Today, passengers can already check themselves into the next flight using their smart phones. And that’s not all: In future, communication between cars and between cars and other devices will be enhanced – thus enabling warnings to be issued about traffic jams, motorists inadvertently driving the wrong way or other hazards. Intermodal digital information is optimising route guidance between locations. To keep pace with these changes, we must continue to develop our infrastructure and build intelligently networked transport systems. 1. Framework conditions to support marketdriven development Developing grid-bound and wireless high-speed networks for electronic communication requires substantial investment, with building and civil engineering work accounting for a significant portion of costs. To reduce costs, we are taking steps to ensure greater coordination and cooperation during this development: We want to clearly identify 9 suitable existing infrastructure and then promote collaborative use of this infrastructure. We will support the collaborative laying of telecommunication cables during construction and streamline authorisation processes. We must also consider whether private capital can be used to expand the passive broadband infrastructure, for example, the civil engineering elements of the infrastructure. In this regard, we will facilitate a regulatory framework that supports investment and innovation, creates legal and planning certainty for all stakeholders and also gives due regard to expanding networks in rural areas. During the course of negotiations on enhancing the European legal framework, we will ensure that regulations safeguard competition between companies and that they provide the planning certainty required for investment. The “Network Alliance for a Digital Germany” (Netzallianz Digitales Deutschland) is a forum established by the government for comprehensive discussion by telecommunications and network operators of the conditions for incentivising market investments. It acts both as a forum for new ideas and as a discussion platform. By autumn 2014, the Network Alliance for a Digital Germany will present a roadmap outlining all action areas relevant for digital expansion together with key milestones for network expansion. 2. Digital access for rural areas The range of digital services available can help redress the technological shortcomings of rural areas in particular. Regulatory and cost-cutting measures are required in this area to support free market expansion. However, some individual regions are not serviced by the market. In these areas, huge expanses need to be covered in order to provide services to a small number of households. Measures to preserve these regions’ attractions while providing access to high-speed networks are in progress. These measures include efficient funding measures that draw on the existing state aid framework for technologyneutral tenders. In one area, federal funds have been available as far back as 2008 for developing broadband access in rural areas under the Joint Task for the Improvement of Agricultural Structures and Coastal Protection (GAK). The GAK funding has helped eliminate “white spot” areas without broadband coverage. According to current plans, the funding will also be aimed over the next few years at providing higher bandwidths in rural areas with inadequate