Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Estonia - Digital Economy and Broadband Market - Overview, Statistics and Forecasts" report to its offerings.
In a release, Research and Markets noted that report highlights include:
Estonia has the highest broadband penetration rate of all the Eastern European countries. Broadband access is available via ADSL2+, FttH, cable, WiFi, WiMAX and mobile networks. The telecoms incumbent Elion is the dominant provider of ADSL services, with cable broadband the main competing platform. Widespread broadband usage has underpinned Estonia's emerging internet economy, with various e-commerce, e-government, e-education and e-health services available and widely used. The cable TV market is well developed and hence cable TV operators have been well-positioned to offer triple-play services. IPTV services have been launched by Elion. This report provides statistics and an overview of broadband market developments and trends in Estonia in 2011, as well as forecasts from 2010 to 2013 and 2020. It also includes major market developments in the country's converging media and digital economy.
Recognising the potential of applying Information & Communications Technology (ICT) to overcome obstacles to social development, Estonia has attempted to develop an internet economy to improve social wellbeing. Initial moves centred on encouraging broadband infrastructure deployment and affordability of online access, with broadband access also deployed in libraries and educational institutions. High broadband usage has ensured a high potential online market/audience, stimulating the development of broadband services.
While there is no exact criteria for measuring the development of a country's internet economy, metrics have been created by various organisations in an attempt to measure progress. The Economist Intelligence Unit publishes annual E-readiness figures, which assess a country's ICT infrastructure and its ability to utilise ICT to gain benefit. The criteria are based on technological, economic, political and social assets of the countries surveyed.
Estonia ranked fifth in the EIU's Q1 2011 government broadband index, assessed on the basis of government broadband planning rather than broadband capability, below only Finland and Sweden within Europe.
Development of Estonia's internet society is guided by strategy document Estonian Information Society Strategy 2013, which establishes the general framework, objectives and respective action fields for ICT application in the development of a knowledge-based society.
The strategy recognises that the public sector holds a leading role in developing the internet society, which is to be developed in a coordinated manner and for the benefit of all. The strategy aims for 70 percent household internet penetration by 2013, with 75 percent of the population using the internet. Identified actions to support this goal include developing a competitive internet access market and supporting the development of convergence technologies.
Implementation of the Estonian Information Society Strategy is through a consecutive series of two-year implementation plans drawn up annually. Each implementation plan defines priorities and targets against which projects will be measured. Each plan also presents an overview of the most significant projects with estimated costs. Actual funding is obtained through fiscal policy or EU structural funds. Estimates on expenditure over the course of the strategy's timeframe total 21 million annually.
The Implementation Plan for 2009/10 was approved in January 2009. Approximately EEK650 million has been allocated for this period. The priorities of this implementation plan include:
-Improving ICT skills of and widening opportunities for participation;
-Development of the e-business environment;
-Development of e-government services, including information services;
-Promoting large-scale uptake of electronic ID (eID) cards;
-Increasing the interoperability of state information systems;
-Raising the quality of statistical analysis through improved use of data in the state information system.
Legislation enacted to support the internet society has mostly been done so to implement EU directives, and includes:
-Digital Signatures Act (2000), which gives the digital signature equal legal value as the handwritten one and sets an obligation for all public institutions to accept digitally signed documents. This law transposes EU directive 1999/93/EC into national law.
-Public Procurement Act (2000), which establishes a Public procurement State Register and covers rules for e-notification of public tenders via the Public Procurement State Register.
-The Estonian Public Information Act (2000) transposes EU Directive 2003/98/EC on the re-use of public sector information. The idea of public sector information re-use emerged through the EU's recognition that the public sector is the single biggest producer of information in Europe, primarily due to the large amounts of data collected as part of government functions. This information has been recognised as possessing much value for re-use in the public domain, much of which has not been realised. Hence EU Directive 2003/98/EC was developed to encourage the reuse of such information in each country.
-Personal Data Protection Act 95/46/EC.
-Information Society Services Act 2000/31/EC.Government initiatives for the internet economy have been focused on providing services to citizens, businesses, and other government organisations online in the hope of capturing benefits such as improved efficiency, convenience, and better accessibility of public services.
The EU estimated in 2008 that a 25 percent reduction in administrative workload due to efficiencies gained through web-based public interaction by government departments could save European companies up to 78 billion per year. An estimated additional 176 billion per year can be saved through automation of back office processes within governments, given that back office information flows represent 80 percent of the information flows in government processes.
National level e-government policy and strategy development is the responsibility of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. Policy and strategy coordination is the responsibility of the Department of State Information Systems (RISO), the Estonian Informatics Centre (RIA) and the Estonian Informatics Council. Policy and strategy implementation is the responsibility of RISO, RIA and various government departments and agencies.
Report information:
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/8a6c8c/estonia_digital
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