Communicate better, communicate more, and communicate quickly in an all digital region.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) now concern all aspects of human endeavor, creating the new environment of a society based on information and knowledge.

Given the high stakes involved, particularly to achieve balanced development and improvement of the regional territory, the Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council has established a Program of Regional Actions for the Information Society (PARSI), in particular through “Midi-Pyrenees Broadband” with an allocation of 40 million euros for 2002-2006, aimed at moving towards universal broadband coverage in the region.

This plan involves several priorities, with emphasis on service to rural zones using all existing technologies, development of metropolitan networks with very high-speed access in the major cities, and mobile telephony.

Accompanying local initiatives

The Regional Council initiates and coordinates support of intra-regional schemes, and participates in discussions led by the General Councils of the Ariège, Gers and Tarn-et-Garonne administrative Departments, as well as the joint Community Districts of Castres-Mazamet, SICOVAL, Grand Tarbes, and Grand Rodez.
Nearly €13 million will be invested in the first phase of this plan between 2003 and 2008.

Actions favoring rural zones

In addition, the Regional Council has also made significant investments in broadband for rural zones with the start of experimentation using alternative technologies (satellite + wi-fi) in Caylus (82), Marciac (32), and Saint-Salvy-de-la Balme (81).  A partnership was set up with CNES to carry out this operation.

The networks were installed by France Telecom and Alcatel Space in early 2004, within the framework of a government contract on behalf of the Regional Council.  Following experimentation, the Regional Council and its partners will draw conclusions concerning the different aspects in order to define the possible conditions for general implementation of this program within the rural zones of Midi-Pyrenees, which would otherwise be excluded from DSL coverage well into the future. The Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council will set aside nearly €11 million for this action between 2006 and 2008.

Mobile telephony — covering 300 more communities in Midi-Pyrenees

An agreement signed in 2003 between the government, ART (the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, associations of elected officials (Association of Mayors in France and Association of French Departments), along with 3 mobile telephone operators, has led to a national definition of the framework for a plan to extend mobile telephony coverage.

In Midi-Pyrenees, this plan provides for the extension of mobile phone coverage of 300 more communities, thanks in particular to the participation of the Regional Council in approximately 115 sites.  By the end of 2005, the Midi-Pyrenees Regional Council plans to have invested nearly 3 million euros in the context of this operation.