3. Introduction to State aid
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• State aid is triggered if the use of public resources favours certain ‘undertakings’
which distorts competition and affects trade between Member States
• State aid can take a wide range of forms, including: grants, loans, benefits in
kind - or even an announcement of intention to grant aid.
• Projects must comply with the European Commission’s ‘Broadband Guidelines
2013’ which outline their policy for applying State aid rules to broadband
projects
• UK has secured an ‘umbrella scheme’ from the European Commission
• Decision sets out the criteria for compatible projects under a
scheme
• BDUK’s National Competence Centre assures individual projects
4. • Broadband Guidelines and NBS 2016 define NGA qualifying
technologies
– FTTP, HFC (DOCSIS 3.0), FTTC, and Fixed Wireless Access (configured
appropriately)
– Must be capable of delivering access speeds over 30Mbps
• Where part of a subsidised intervention a “step-change” in
capability must provided and this includes
– At least a doubling of speeds to a significant proportion of the
uplifted premises
– Provision of wholesale access to the passive and active network must
be made available to third parties
State aid and NGA definitions
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5. BDUK Role in NGA Assessment
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Suppliers/Bidders
BDUK
Before ITT Launch
• Approving release of OMR and Public
Consultation responses
• Supporting NGA Technical Assessment
of supplier responses to Local Bodies
Approval of the Intervention Area to
enable release of the ITT
After Bid Submission
• Assisting Local Body with solution NGA
compliance assessment
• Ensuring wholesale access
requirements are met including
acceptable pricing
• State aid approval
LOCAL BODY
SUPPLIER
7. Topic OMR BID
30Mbps capability
Doubling of download access speed
Doubling of upload access speed
15Mbps download speed 90% of time in busy hour
Future capacity
Latency and jitter
Supporting business case
Planning consents
Comparative deployments
Radio and interference plans
Wholesale product offerings and SLAs
Open Market Review and Bid requirements
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8. Topic Evidence OMR BID
30Mbps capability For example:
a. Evidence that physical/technological constraints are
accounted for the planned coverage area (e.g. transmission
line characteristics, radio propagation etc.); and
a. Description of the network design’s upgradeability to support
30Mbps in future; and
a. Manufacturers’ product descriptions and configuration
manuals; and
a. Evidence of a commercially offered NGA-compliant 30Mbps
product (e.g. on a web-site).
Example topic – 30 Mbps capability
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9. Example evidence item – link budget
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A B C D E F
2 ExampleNet Wireless Link Budget
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4 Link Budget
5 2x2 MIMO Channel Downlink Uplink Formula
6 Tx Frequency (MHz) 5570.0 5570.0 Input
7 Tx Bandwidth (MHz) 20.0 20.0 Input
8 Tx Maximum Allowed EIRP (dBm) 30.0 30.0 =INDEX($F$36:$F$51,MATCH(C6,$C$36:$C$51))
9 Maximum LOS Distance (km) 5.0 5.0 Input
10 Free Space Loss (dB) 121.3 121.3 =20*LOG10(C9)+20*LOG10(C6)+32.44
11 Rx Antenna Gain (dBi) 21.0 14.0 Input
12 Rx Cable Loss (dBi) 1.0 1.0 Input
13 Rx Power (dBm) -71.3 -78.3 =C8-C10+C11-C12
14 Rx Thermal Noise kTB (dBm) -100.9 -100.9 =10*LOG10(1.38E-23*293*C7*1000000*1000)
15 Rx Noise Figure 4.9 4.9 Input
16 Minimum Link Margin (dB) 4.0 4.0 Input
17 Available SNR (dB) 20.7 13.7 =C13-C14-C15-C16
18 Maximum Modulation and Coding 64-QAM 3/4 16-QAM 1/2 =INDEX($B$25:$B$32,MATCH(C17,$C25:$C32))
19 Maximum Data Rate (Mbps) 117.0 52.0 =INDEX($F$25:$F$32,MATCH(C18,$B$25:$B$32,0))
20 Downlink:Uplink Timeslot Ratio 3.0 1.0 Input
21 Effective Date Rate (Mbps) 87.8 13.0 =C19*C20/($C$20+$D$20)
13. • Quantitative design information for each specific* network
– must be consistent with other information provided e.g. business plan
• Statements supported established theory and practice
– consideration of likely realistic real-world performance
– including critical evaluation of any marketing or manufacturer claims
• Actual performance measurements from existing or comparative
networks
– where possible
• Analysis with supporting calculations and diagrams
• Necessary references
– should be specific e.g. to a specific page/section of a document
– may be in separate files but must be provided with the completed form
* The specific information could be included in a referenced document e.g. a bidder’s Supplier Solution Document
Evidential requirements
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14. • Further guidance, a worked example, and the NGA assessment
form template:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2016-nbs-tech-
guidelines
• State aid details for the UK National Broadband Scheme 2016:
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/state_aid/cases/263954/263954_176
0328_135_4.pdf
• European Commission’s Broadband Guidelines 2013:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52013XC0126(01)
Further information
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