Internet access

Penetration of information technology continues to increase in Greece, as Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) figures on Tuesday showed a significant rise in the number of Greek households with a Web connection and in the portion of the population that systematically use computers and the Internet.

AGERPRES special correspondent Catalina Matei reports: Romania has continued to make progress in achieving the objectives of the European Digital Agenda (DAE) in 2012/2013, a report released on Tuesday by the European Commission referring to the telecommunications market in the EU and the current regulations shows.

Bulgaria's Government approved a plan for the construction of next generation broadband internet infrastructure, reports Dnes.bg.

It must provide access to internet with speed of 30+ Mb/s to the entire population. 

At least 50% of the households and 80% of the businesses must have access to speeds of 100 Mb/s by 2020, according to the plan.

A project announced by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras last November to improve wireless Internet access across Greece is now getting under way.

An invitation for expressions of interest in the tender was published on Tuesday so that it can be incorporated in the regional programs of the European Union-subsidized National Strategic Reference Framework.

Listed Greek telecom service provider Forthnet on Friday announced a 74.4 percent increase in the number of its triple-play subscriptions (telephony, broadband Internet and pay television) in the first quarter of the year compared with the same period in 2013.

Free Internet access will be available across Greece as of November through a network of up to 4,000 Wi-Fi points in closed and open public spaces, Transport and Networks Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said Wednesday.

Europe's 400 million internet users face a geographic lottery regarding the price, speed, and range of choice of broadband, according to data released Wednesday.

Bulgaria will implement a broadband network project worth BGN 39.1M by September 2014, Transport Minister Danai Papazov pledged.

Once the infrastructure is ready, the current internet speed will increase from 30 mb/s to 100mb/s, Standart News reports.