GLOBAL INFORMATION SOCIETY

"We will support public and private efforts to increase the use of information and communication technologies for development and encourage international organizations to assess the appropriate role which they can play."

Overall Grade: +1

Assessment

In January 1997, Germany announced the completion of a 90Mbit/s connection of DeTeSystem, Nuremberg with MCI of the USA.

13 February 1997, BM Dr. Juergen Ruettgers briefed the UN General Secretary about his initiative with the framework of the G7 Research Ministers' Round regarding the surveillance and investigation of criminal and racist material with international websites.

In March 1997, the 45 M/bit/s connection of B-WiN (Breitband-Wissenschaftsnetz) with the TEN-34- Verbund was completed. Through both public and private financial support Germany plans to launch its first pilot projects using regional testbeds with a transmission capacity of up to 622Mbits/s by mid-1997.

7-9 April 1997 - In a joint effort by the European Commission, the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and the City of Bonn/Telebonn, the first annual G7 Project, "Global Marketplace for SMEs" (Small and Medium size Enterprises) took place. Its objectives were to set-up a global business information network, remove barriers to electronic commerce, promote the participation of SMEs in global electronic commerce and to set-up regional testbeds and pilot projects.

Within the G7 Project framework for GIS, Germany has concerned itself with the following;

• Global Inter-operability for Broadband Networks
  
• Cross-Cultural Education and Training
  
• Global Health-Care Applications
  

The following legislation and regulations have been established;

• The New Telecommunications Act - Part 5 - Access To Services, To The Network And Interconnection - Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch & Partners 21/01/97
  
• Federal Law to Regulate the Conditions for Information and Communications Services - Reporter's Draft as at 8 November 1996 - Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch & Partners 15/01/97
  
• New Media - The Draft German "Information and Communication Services Law" - Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch & Partners 15/01/97
  
• The New Telecommunications Act - Part 3 - Regulations of Undertakings with a Dominant Market Position - Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch & Partners 22/10/96
  
• The New Telecommunications Act - Part 4 - Universal Services - Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch & Partners 22/10/96
  
• The New Telecommunications Act - Part 1 - A Chronicle of the New Act - Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch & Partners 18/09/96
  
• The New Telecommunications Act - Part 2 -Licences and Licensing Procedures - Gleiss Lutz Hootz Hirsch & Partners 18/09/96