An analysis conducted by the World Bank revealed that Transmission Systems Operators (TSOs) in the Western Balkans have been facing declining returns as electricity consumption flattens, making infrastructure sharing an attractive way to diversify revenue. If the region’s TSOs were to use their fibre assets to increase the network supply, it would potentially transform the wholesale broadband market in the Western Balkans.
The Balkans Digital Highway initiative aims to improve access to high-speed broadband services, both nationally and regionally, by setting up a regional wholesale broadband network over the optic ground wire (OPGW) infrastructure of the participating TSOs.
In this context, WBIF provided a grant for the preparation of the Feasibility Study (FS), Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) and Preliminary Design (PD).
The FS and CBA will evaluate the economic and technical feasibility of the investment and will provide a detailed assessment of the implementation options for all the aspects of the Balkans Digital Highway and will recommend the most cost-efficient technical and economic solution.
Based on the results of the FS, a Preliminary Design of the Balkans Digital Highway network will be carried out and implemented in two interrelated steps. Firstly, due to some differences in national regulations, language and required local engineering companies, the process of developing the PD will be conducted at the national level. Secondly, in collaboration with TSOs and considering national PDs, a regional layer will be developed and added to complement national PDs.
