In an online discussion with the European Commission, the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications raised 25 questions about the participation of Bulgarian municipalities in the free wireless WiFi4EU initiative.
The Commission experts will summarize the topics and publish the answers on the FAQ page. The Ministry actively disseminates information on the initiative to parties concerned, organizes information events and maintains uninterrupted contact with municipalities.
During the webinar it became clear that the online application portal will be available in mid-March. All municipalities wishing to receive funding from the initiative will be able to register and create their own profile. The first contest will be announced 6-8 weeks after launching the platform.
At the first stage municipalities are not required to have a prepared project proposal for building future wireless networks. Only general information about the municipality will be included in the application form - such as name, address, contact person, number of inhabitants, etc.
In this connection, the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications informed the interested municipalities that the most important factor remains the time of filing the form. At the opening hour of the contest, at least 15 municipalities that have clicked on the Submit button will receive funding.
The first contest may involve municipalities wishing to provide their citizens and guests with access to free high-speed wireless internet at public places such as stations, hospitals, libraries and others. The costs of equipment and installation are borne by the EC after approval of the respective settlement.
