PIANO+ COMPETITION FOR FUNDING on photonics-based internet access networks of the future
PIANO+ is a trans-national call for project proposals on "photonics-based internet access networks of the future" which is co-funded by the participating national funding bodies from Austria, Germany, Israel, Poland and the United Kingdom and by the European Commission.
Ultra-fast broadband is recognised as becoming increasingly important as demands for bandwidth multiply. Investment in the development of next generation optical access technologies will enable a future network to be deployed which will radically reduce infrastructure costs through removal of local exchanges and potentially much of the metro network.
The projects funded under this call are expected to make significant contributions to the development of photonic technology and system architectures for the scalable, future proof and energy efficient access network and its extension to the customers´ premises including the home. The results shall be capable of allowing the potential of cost-effective 1 Gbit/s (and beyond) access to all.
On 28 June 2011 the European Commission published a press release about PIANO+, pointing out that giving every European access to fast and ultra fast broadband by 2020 and boosting investment in European information and communications technology research are key objectives of the Digital Agenda for Europe.
The press release can be found here:
Piano+ Press Release