Next generation access networks constitute another issue on which ICP-ANACOM was called on to assist the Government. By determination of 9 February 2012, ICP-ANACOM approved the update of the plan to oversee NGN in the five rural areas covered by public tenders for the installation, management, operation and maintenance of high-speed electronic communications networks in rural areas (North, Centre, Alentejo and Algarve, Azores and Madeira)1.
During 2012, two reimbursement requests to PRODER were forwarded to ICP-ANACOM, submitted by DSTelecom Alentejo e Algarve, Lda., pursuant to the contract with the Portuguese State to deploy NGN in the areas of Alentejo and Algarve, and five reimbursement requests (two to PRODERE and three to ERDF) submitted by Fibroglobal, pursuant to the contract concluded with the Portuguese State to deploy NGN in the Centre Region.
ICP-ANACOM examined the information received (forms, invoices and measurement records), pursuant to paragraph 2 of Order 115/XIX/MEE/2012 of 17 May 2012, and issued opinions, stating that the costs listed in the payment requests respected the investment categories envisaged in the economic and financial applications presented in these tenders.
At the request of the Office of SEOPTC, comments were prepared on the draft of the contract (and annexes thereto) in respect of the NGN of Madeira, to be concluded between the State and Fibroglobal.
ICP-ANACOM was also responsible, in its role advising on NGN, for supervising execution by prevailing tenderers of the contracts concluded with the state, confirming that the projects presented correspond to the projects contained in the public tenders, performing necessary actions of monitoring and sending a monthly report to the Office of SEOPTC on its supervision.
As such, in June 2012, ICP-ANACOM concluded the procedures necessary to contract external services qualified to monitor and audit the aspects related to the construction and execution of the work performed by the companies DSTelecom and Fibroglobal, selecting ISQ - Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade (Alentejo and Algarve) and IEP - Instituto Eletrotécnico Português (North and Centre) for this purpose.
Coordination of these services is performed by ICP-ANACOM, through an internal group constituted for this purpose, as stipulated in the monitoring plan approved by the Government.
Although some administrative constraints have been encountered with local authorities, entities managing roads (former Scuts) and some private entities, it is expected that the process of constructing and deploying the rural next generation networks will be completed in 2013.
1 The initial version of the oversight plan had been approved by ICP-ANACOM determination of 30 December 2010.
