Dato: Tuesday, 29. June, 2010

This month, Charlotte Sahl-Madsen, the Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, presented a new vision for higher nationwide broadband speeds, but Denmark needs a bigger and more ambitious vision to to ensure the continued development of its knowledge-based society, and to establish itself as a global leader within IT and telecoms. According to CEO and founder of GlobalConnect, Niels Zibrandtsen, the speeds need to be cranked up even higher, and the nation's networks should be opened to anyone who wants to run an IT and telecoms business.

- The 100 Mbps in 2020 is a good start, but we do not believe this target to be relevant very far into the future. In as little as ten years, the demand will exceed this by far, and Denmark must choose to provide full access to the raw infrastructure - i.e. raw fibre as well as raw copper - to allow anyone who so wishes to create business and innovation on the Danish broadband networks. I also believe that we risk losing the perspective if the debate focuses exclusively on speeds, says Niels Zibrandtsen.

According to Niels Zibrandtsen, forced opening of the raw infrastructure contained in all the Danish networks will lead to increased competition, higher speeds and more innovation in the Danish IT and telecom markets. This will benefit not only companies within the IT and telecom industry, but society as a whole, he says.

- There should be no limitations to the utilisation of the raw infrastructure, in the same way that neither the state nor any enterprises decide who can use our motorways. Open networks mean that more parties foot the bill for the infrastructure - i.e. more actual users - and this will result in an improved financial situation, says Niels Zibrandtsen.