ABAM Publishable Summary
The ABAM project aims to provide end-users with a mobile phone app that will enable them to discover the availability and choice of broadband solutions at any given location. In time it is intended to cover all the EU28 and associate countries.
To achieve this ABAM will create a European Broadband Database (EBDB) which will collect, hold and supply fixed and mobile broadband data to a high level of detail. End-users will be able to access this database online, free of charge, to get an immediate readout of the broadband choices at a location.
The database will be created by a substantial research programme. This will combine full use of existing public sources, as provided by the European Commission and national governments, with crowdsourced data and with proprietary sources where necessary. Actual use of the ABAM app will be an important source of location “use data.”
Besides being a free resource for EU citizens and visitors, the ABAM database will earn revenue from business and government. Business will use the data to plan new broadband infrastructure and to market apps and services which use broadband. National and local governments will use it to decide how to increase the beneficial usage of broadband and where improvements are needed.
The ABAM feasibility study concludes that over 190m unique users look for this type of data per year in Europe, generating over 1 billion enquiries. But while there is excellent data available in many countries, it is not presented in ways that the public can easily access.
There is a huge public interest in helping people to get the best possible access to broadband and in encouraging broadband providers to offer the highest standards and competitive prices. ABAM’s mission is to provide information which will help to advance these aims. We believe that if the public has free and immediate access to the facts they need about broadband availability and performance this will bring great benefits to them as individuals, to the economy, and to society as a whole.
Point Topic and Avanti Communications built on their joint experience to create the ABAM project. Point Topic supplies in-depth broadband data for the UK, Europe and worldwide. Avanti Communications is a leading provider of satellite communications.
