40 Electronic communications grids in the territory of the Republic of Latvia cover country’s largest cities, as well as provide international connections to neighbouring countries. The volume of data transfer in Latvia is increasing not only due to needs and actions of the local users, but also due to significant amount of international data transit realised by the world’s population via content search and dispatching. According to the abovementioned projected increase of data transfer in the world in 2015, grids in Latvia would be required to provide approximately four times larger amount of data throughput. Thus, it is necessary to improve electronic communication grid with sufficient data flow throughput according to the future requirements in order to create an infrastructure platform of digital services that enables coordinated use of e-services. Required Actions The development of grids is performed by electronic communication merchants on commercial basis, and state aid measures regarding electronic communication grids are necessary (supported) only if it is ascertained that the grid development based on commercial basis does not provide grid with an adequate capacity (throughput, speed) and development of services. Before making a decision on adaptation of state aid measures, an estimation whether it is necessary to improve current electronic communication grids or parts thereof according to the future needs until 2018 in order to ensure a sufficient data flow throughput and to support infrastructure platforms of digital services, allowing the coordinated use of e-services. If necessary, the Ministry of Transport will develop state aid programme and, in case of approval, the grid development project will be implemented, taking into account the recommendations of the EU and the geographic areas lacking effective competition and where the next-generation electronic communications grids would not be realised in the nearest future without public support (EU Structural Funds or state). With regard to the facilitation related to the construction of the electronic communications network, it is planned to prepare an information report on measures to reduce administrative burden regarding the development of broadband electronic communications network, evaluating the possibilities in the laws and regulations define the rights for the merchants to use state and municipal road partition lanes free of charge for the construction of next-generation network, determine reasonable un predictable conditions to establish network servitude, exemption from local government taxes in connection with building permissions, etc. 5.2.4 Mapping of the Current Electronic Communications Network Infrastructure As one of the factors delaying deployment of optical network are high construction costs of network infrastructure. Such costs can be reduced by collaboration of electronic communication merchants during construction process or by using already existing infrastructure. According to the EC recommendation37 on regulated access to Next-Generation Access (NGA) networks, an Optical network infrastructure database should be created that contains information on geographical locations of all engineering technical infrastructure, available capacity and other 37 “EC recommendation (20 September 2010) on regulated access to Next-Generation Access (NGA) networks (2010/572/EU)” http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2010:251:0035:0048:LV:PDF information_society_development_guidelines_2014_2020.docx; Information Society Development Guidelines 2014-2020