technologies available in their area, serving as an aid in the selection of the most favourable

market offer.
The Report is also an example of practical implementation of the Directive on the re-use of
public sector information, as well as of the amendment of the Act on access to public sector
information, which has been in force since September 2011. The presentation of the Report is
the fulfilment of the provisions of this Act. The data included in this Report and its detailed
appendices provide operators and other telecommunications undertakings with information on
the basis of which they can reach business decisions about new investments or modifications
of the existing infrastructure and the level of competitiveness on the market. The investors
from outside of the electronic communications industry may use the data from the Report as a
source of knowledge on the availability of telecommunications services in the sites considered
for investment location. Local government units may use the information as an argument for
offering investment locations and tourism services in the region. It may also form a basis for
the choice of possible areas of investment in telecommunications infrastructure or auxiliary
infrastructure, supporting network development. Finally, the users – consumers, companies,
public utility companies and public institutions – may benefit from the information included
in the Report during decision making regarding the choice of electronic communications
services and broadband access.

1.2 Stocktaking and maps of broadband infrastructure in Europe and in the

World – selected examples and international collaboration
The fact that a number of countries – both well-developed and developing – make detailed
and publicly available records of their broadband infrastructure proves how important
comprehensive and reliable information about broadband infrastructure is. In some countries
stocktaking is carried out on a voluntary basis since the participants of the
telecommunications market understand the need for and benefits resulting from this exercise
(this is the case e.g. in New Zealand). In such countries as Portugal or Poland, the submission
of data is a statutory duty. There are different methods for making the data from stocktaking
available – either in the form of cumulative reports or in the form of publicly available
interactive land coverage maps.
The most interesting examples from countries outside of Europe include:
• the American map entitled: National Broadband Map, developed by NTIA (National
Telecommunications and Information Administration Agency of the United States
Department of Commerce) in collaboration with FCC (Federal Communications
Commission) and the administrations of all highest-level local units: 50 US states, 5
territories and the District of Columbia. The map maintained by NTIA is available at
http://broadbandmap.gov/
The USA has also interactive maps of access for individual states and regions,
prepared and maintained by various organisations and public institutions and intended
as a source of information for consumers, e.g. the map of the State of Vermont2, the
map of the State of Montana3, and others;

2
http://www.broadbandvt.org/map/index.php?option=interactive&theme=BroadbandAvailability
3
http://mtbroadband.org/mapquery/