Aid related to broadband expansion in rural areas
The State of Lower Austria supports broadband expansion in rural municipalities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants by closing financing gaps in projects with federal funding. Applications are possible from 01/01/2022 to 12/31/2025.
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Grant criteria
Funding objective
The aim of the funding is to achieve the most comprehensive coverage possible with broadband networks in Lower Austria by fully financing and/or closing and/or reducing funding gaps in projects that have been granted federal funding.
Eligible expenses
- Eligible costs according to federal funding (e.g., construction and material costs for passive broadband infrastructure)
Non-eligible expenses
- Value-added tax
Eligible to apply
- Public Institutions
- Companies
Funding requirements
- Equity funds averaging EUR 2,000 per home passed
- Project based on an open access model with passive broadband infrastructure owned by the applicant
- Broadband network with at least 100 Mbit/s symmetrical
- Preliminary planning of comprehensive expansion including implementation, construction schedule, and financing plan
- Administration and operation of the passive infrastructure by a third party or with an exemption permit
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Documents required for application
- Application
- Documents for Federal Funding
Evaluation criteria
- Funding gap
- Architecture of the broadband infrastructure
- Traceability of implementation, construction schedule, and financing plan
Description
The subsidies related to broadband expansion in rural areas support the comprehensive development of future-proof broadband networks in Lower Austria. Funding is provided for the full financing or closing of funding gaps in projects that have already received federal funding. Applications can be submitted from 01.01.2022 to 31.12.2025; the grant covers, depending on the program share, 75% to 90% of eligible costs (e.g., construction and material costs for passive broadband infrastructure), excluding VAT. The goal is a symmetrical bandwidth of at least 100 Mbit/s for households and businesses in cadastral communities with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants.
Eligible applicants are public institutions and companies, in particular municipalities, municipal associations, and their economic enterprises (including outsourced legal entities). Requirements include, among others, proof of equity capital averaging EUR 2,000 per “home passed,” an open-access model with passive broadband infrastructure owned by the applicants, a rough plan including implementation, construction, and financing schedules, as well as the management of passive infrastructure by third parties or with an exemption permit. The active network operation must be tendered in compliance with EU regulations and integrated into detailed planning and monitoring. Evaluation criteria include the amount of the financing gap, the technical architecture, and the traceability of the plans. For the application, a request and the documents related to federal funding must be submitted.