Latviešu LV
Latviešu
Contrast Standart color Font size
Latvijas Valsts radio un televīzijas centrs

Broadband

About project

As part of the European Union-funded project “Improving the Availability of Electronic Communications Infrastructure in Rural Areas”, LVRTC has built a middle-mile optical network. The network construction was carried out in two phases. The optical fiber route built during the second phase extended the first phase, thus logically complementing the previously constructed network and making it more efficient and attractive for commercial operators. The aim of the broadband project is to improve the availability of electronic communications networks for residents in rural areas by ensuring the construction of infrastructure in areas where no electronic communications merchant provides and does not plan to build its own infrastructure for providing internet access within the next three years. Services with improved data transmission parameters using broadband access networks that consist entirely or partly of optical fiber elements and provide a data transmission speed of at least 30 Mbit/s (hereinafter referred to as “white” territories). For the purposes of these regulations, rural territories are administrative territories of Latvia and settlements (up to the village level) outside the cities of the republic.

  • In 2010, the European Union approved the Europe 2020 strategy, which sets out the EU's development goals and the tasks to be implemented to achieve them. One of them is to improve Europeans' access to fast and ultra-fast internet. The Commission Communication "A Digital Agenda for Europe" of 26.08.2010. COM. It stipulates that by 2020 all European Union (EU) residents must have access to broadband internet with a speed of at least 30 Mbit/s, and 50% or more households must have an internet connection with a speed of over 100 Mbit/s. The network in the regions of Latvia has been built in places where electronic communications companies did not plan to build their infrastructure due to low population density and high construction costs. In total, these are 312 “white” territories. The well-thought-out network architecture allows operators who use and will continue to use the network to reach about 136,600 households. During the second phase of the project, connection points were established for 18 educational institutions, 27 libraries, and 128 parish/municipal administrations. A large part of the connection points are available in research and business centers, medical practices and institutions, stadiums, public service provider locations, as well as companies that intensively use digital resources.
  • Access to the internet using broadband access networks, which is compatible with modern data transmission volumes, is the basis for digital transformation in all sectors of the economy. LVRTC built a middle mile infrastructure that is available to any interested electronic communications merchant, who can further provide end users with services such as internet and cable television. Network rental is available to all electronic communications operators registered in Latvia, who provide services to residents, institutions or organizations, on equal, non-discriminatory terms. The operator rents from LVRTC an optical fiber (pair) connection between two connection points of its own choosing, moreover, one of the connection points must be located in the so-called “white” territory.
  • A total of €26 million was allocated for the first phase from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The total planned investment amounts to €49.7 million, with €42,258,101 coming from the European Regional Development Fund and €7,457,312 from private funding.

The broadband project was implemented in two stages

First stage

  • The project was launched in 2012, and the first stage was completed within three years.

  • The network in Latvia’s regions was built in areas where electronic communications operators had no plans to develop their own infrastructure due to low population density and high construction costs. In total, there are 312 so-called “white” areas.

  • During the first stage, 177 connection points were established, primarily located in public places to promote internet accessibility in rural areas with low population density.

  • The network is most widely used by operators in the Vidzeme region, where 2,235 km of optical fiber have been leased. It is followed by the Zemgale and Kurzeme regions.

Second stage

  • The second phase of the middle-mile optical network deployment began in July 2016, when the Latvian State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) signed a contract with the Central Finance and Contracting Agency for the implementation of an EU-funded project. Construction work started in 2018, and the project was completed at the end of 2023, marking the full completion of the middle-mile optical network.

  • The optical fiber route of the second phase was connected to the already constructed infrastructure of the first phase, thereby expanding the existing network and reaching a total of 3,620 kilometers of optical fiber infrastructure.

  • During the second stage of the project, connection points were established for 18 educational institutions, 27 libraries, and 128 parish/municipal administrations. A significant number of connection points are also available at research and business centers, medical practices and institutions, stadiums, public service provider locations, as well as businesses that rely heavily on digital resources.

  • The optical network infrastructure is leased by 17 operators – including 3 mobile operators, 12 regional operators, and 2 national operators.

7180km
Commercialized kilometers
17
Operators uses optical network
312
"White territories"
136600
Households
72
Towers
71
Supported area

The image above shows LVRTC’s extensive backbone optical fiber and communications network, complemented by the middle-mile network built during the project, as well as the supported areas and white territories.