This report is the second deliverable of the FP6-project “Broadband in Europe for all: a multi-disciplinary approach project (BREAD)”. It is a multi-technological analysis of the ‘broadband for all’ concept, with an update of the listing of multi-technological key issues, a first gap analysis and first roadmaps on how to tackle these issues.

The deliverable also contains information on ongoing regional and national broadband initiatives in Europe (EU25) and around the world. The information includes an analysis of the broadband market in these countries with overview of available technologies, infrastructures, operators, pricing,…. It also includes a summary of the broadband policy in these countries.

This document builds further on the overview of the state-of-the-art on broadband issues, summarized in the first BREAD-deliverable (available via www.ist-bread.org)

Out of the country studies, an analysis is presented factors affecting broadband development first from a classical theoretical framework, which is composed of the supply/demand - infrastructure/content matrix. However, when drawing on the elements which were identified in the country studies, it then uses a framework composed of four categories, i.e. country configuration, legacy situation, competition, and public policy, where the key criterion is the susceptibility of the factors affecting broadband to be themselves influenced by broadband policy. This approach allows identifying those areas where government action can really make a difference. Finally a quick look is taken at some potential inhibitors of broadband development and at broadband applications and user needs.

This document does not claim to be complete, but is intended to give directions, indications and current trends in the field and will evoke input on new projects, new technologies and new developments to be included in the next editions of this deliverable.

This report is quite large and is available in 2 parts (Main part, Annex 1 & 2), in PDF-format on request by e-mail to breadmaster@intec.ugent.be. The report is mailed to you using the indicated mail address in 2 parts: Main part (approx. 7 Mb) and Annexes (approx. 9.4 Mb)