HbbTV and metrics: an exciting way!

The HbbTV phenomenon is growing with unusual strength and is changing the Spanish audiovisual landscape. The chains and cable operators are adapting the metrics commonly used to more reliably collect the true impacts on the viewer.

In the project “New Forms of Interactive Advertising on Television, Internet and Digital Media. Real Applications on HbbTV”, supported by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, and from the research projects entitled “Innovative Systems of Monetization of Digital Journalism" (SIMPED) and “Production systems of Spanish digital journalism in the international context and impact of broadband”, with the support of the Generalitat of Catalonia and various universities, it is observed that communication professionals consider in 81.71% that the flow of data obtained by the recipient's visit must be measured in an integrated way. On the other hand, 17.14% did not support this option.

Broadband and its local spreading

Which is the situation of Broadband at local sphere? Broadband Society embraces the municipal activity. It is known that broadband was born in extension of the path information does to all types of communication systems, like enterprises, media or your house. 

Broadband services were promoted by the potency of technology terminals, the support of new communication infrastructures – like fiber optic – and the initiative of administrations and industry (Redes de Banda Ancha). We analyse, in collaboration with Irina Carnicero Moreno, the Catalan case, focusing in Malgrat de Mar (a small village). 

Broadband in Viladecans: a fiber optics challenge

We analyze the Viladecans broadband case in collaboration with Laura Martín Encinas. Nowadays, in the Broadband Society, it is unquestionable that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is one of the basic fundaments of the XXI century society. Getting into this ICT, the networks, and more specifically broadband, are having an impact so revolutionary in our society just as the transport or electric net had in the past. This is due to the broadband internet service is the most used form of Internet access thanks to its high access speed. Moreover, it is usually commercialized with other important services such as fixed and mobile phone service or television. 

Just to give a specific definition of broadband, we have to know that this service offers to the users a permanent data connection and a high transmission capacity to upload and download files by a determined terminal like for example a laptop, a mobile phone or a television. It is offered in four different forms: DSL, fiber optic, cable and satellite. In the present article it will be analyzed which and how is the broadband in the town of Viladecans, belonging to the region of El Baix Llobregat. But first, it will be important to have a general look on this important net in Spain and also specifically in Catalonia.

The race to provide broadband

Broadband Society is progressing in the world. In the Spanish case, the evolution is right, frequently over other countries in its natural framework. The amount of fiber optics connections and the evolution in the kind of use are allowing an added value to this sector. In collaboration with Angela Nicolotti, we analyze it.

The worldwide broadband penetration between 2000 and 2017 has increased sevenfold, rising from 6% to 43% of the population. This figure means that 3,100 million people can access the Internet, out of a total of 7,400 million. 

An expensive broadband in Cyprus

Broadband is improving in a lot of countries. It is the case of Cyprus, analyzed in collaboration with Myria Efthymiou. Probably the broadband of each country is different and they have their own and different providers. In Cyprus the ADSL broadband technology is the most well-known with many providers, which offer packages from 1Mbps to 2Mbps.

In Cyprus we have the ADSL Internet connectivity from 2001 and it is available in areas at speeds from 256Kbps to 8Mbps. The biggest Telecom companies in Cyprus are CYTA and Primetel which offer more than a number of ISPs provide broadband to home and business users. Apart from these Telecoms there is also OTEnetwhich have its own broadband and don’t use these platforms. 

Broadband in Poland: a fast evolution

Poland is nowadays one of the most developing countries in European Union (EU). We analyze this case in collaboration with Piotr Paluch. After joining the union in 2004, the dynamic process of “catching up” to the rest of the Western Europe countries have started and it also includes major progress in the area of broadband and communication. Today Poland is becoming a leader in that branch with a lot of innovative technologies and systems to improve the speed and solidity of the countries broadband.

In 2012, 65% of the population of the country have used the Internet. These numbers are growing every year. Also according to official website of the Polish Ministry of Treasury, by 2016, more than 50% of the inhabitants will have access to the broadband internet, while the number of connection lines will reach 6,6 millions and 9 millions in 2018 (from the prediction analysis done by PwC).

Ireland: one of the fastest broadband speeds

The reality of Broadband Society is increasingly positive. It is the case of Ireland (in collaboration with Sarah Talty). This country has one of the fastest broadband speeds in the world and broadband in rural Ireland is gradually improving, but it wasn’t always this way. It has been 16 years since the first DSL connection went live in Ireland in 2001. 

In fact the earliest emails can be dated back to the 1950’s but the Internet only began being used more in the 1970’s. In the late 1990’s and for the first few years of the 2000’s in Ireland there were only dial-up connections in Ireland. That meant that when you used the Internet in your house, nobody could call your home phone. This was really very inconvenient. Alternatively you could get a separate line for your home phone but this was very expensive so few households would have done this. Broadband arrived in the early 2000’s and with it came the arrival of two separate lines, so therefore people could use the Internet and their phones simultaneously.

Fast broadband for Scotland

Digitization and connectivity are improving following the Broadband Society axioms.The digital future of Scotland, analyzed in collaboration with Beattie Megan Merino, is being entirely reinvented at present with the introduction of a new program to make fast internet connection accessible in all parts of the country. 

Scotland, with its rural landscapes and scattered small towns, is one of the most challenging countries in Europe to install fast and effective broadband but the government have made it very clear that they highly prioritise the continuous advancement of technology and see it as an integral part of the countries’ evolution and economic growth. 

Broadband in the USA: a long evolution

In the current society, the Internet is something the human population uses daily for information, entertainment, direction, and much more. But there was a time when internet was still premature; in fact, there was a time from which internet had to be born. This essay, in collaboration with Kristen Hinderliter, will explore the history and growth of broadband connections and internet in the United States of America. 

In 1957, the Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as ARPA, was created by the United States’ Department of Defense in response to the Soviet Union’s recent Sputnik launch. The idea was that the Soviet Union was getting too far ahead in technological and research advancement; the Advanced Research Projects Agency was the United States government’s way of getting back into the competition. ARPA along with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, was supposed to recreate technical supremacy in the United States of America.

Broadband and journalism in Turkey

Journalism and telecommunications have a marriage to foster Broadband Society. Turkey (case analyzed in collaboration with Israa Groof) has been recognized as a center of commerce as its land connects to the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa. This geographical location, being the mainland of Anatolia, holds an extraordinary geo-strategic value. 

Rapid expansion of communications, software and hardware segments of ICT industries in Turkey have made a significant investment in upgrading mobile networks to broadband. Broadband is a type of data transmission in which a single medium can carry several channels at once. 

Denmark and the daily broadband

Broadband is an essential part of the daily life in Denmark. We analyze it in collaboration with Maja Jensen. All information is being sent out via emails and Danish citizens use their social security number to log in on a webpage called Borger.dk (English: Citizen.dk) and registrar when they move apply for an education or economic support. Everybody receive and get access to their private documents via the internet. Everything is online, which makes it necessary for every citizen in Denmark to be able to access the Internet. A yearly report from Danmarks Statistik (English: Denmark’s Statistics) on the Danish population’s use of internet shows that 92% of the Danish population above the age of 16 had access to the Internet in 2015 and 87% of the population used the Internet every single day. 

The Internet Service Provider (ISP) companies in Denmark that provide internet are: TDC erhverv, Yousee, Telenor, Stofa, Telia, Waoo and 3. Many of these companies own sub companies which also provide people with broadband and mobile broadband. These companies offer four different kinds of broadband connections, which we will explain in detail later. Since almost everybody in Denmark needs and uses internet connection, the internet connections are often fast and reliable. For around 30-35 Euros a month, the costumer will be able to get a broadband connection with 20 Mbps, which will cover most people’s needs.

Broadband in Russia: a question of diversification

Broadband Society is everywhere. We are analyzing broadband deployment in countries, and in this post we study, in collaboration with Diana Samarcheva, the case of Russia. It is well known that broadband has a great influence on the social and economic development of the country. There are a lot of examples proving the force of innovative technologies on the country’s economic position so the modernization of broadband is one of the main strategic goals named by the government in Russia.

Fixed Broadband Penetration (number of subscriptions per 100 inhabitants) in the regions of Russia and in other counties, 2013

 

Source: ITU, 2013; Ministry of Telecommunications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation

In 2009 Russian president announced that the country should diversify its economics on the base of new technologies and innovations. In order to reach the highest worldwide standards Russia established rather ambitious targets of broadband technologies taking into consideration the geographic dimensions and low population density. In accordance with the modernization policy, the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media announced national broadband targets in 2012 to make 100 Mbps broadband available to 80 percent of Russian residents by 2018, with the ultimate goal to provide conditions – physically and financially – for affordable broadband access for all residents of Russia (according to the study).