Technical

Connectivity

Fixed and mobile broadband access and infrastructure deployment.

How the laws define this

National frameworks consistently baseline connectivity around fixed and mobile broadband infrastructure and network coverage. Every instrument links the concept to strategic expansion targets, but they diverge in their specific measurement criteria and scope. Strategy and Action Plan to Improve Slovakia's Position in the DESI Index to 2025 broadens the definition beyond physical network deployment to explicitly include network throughput speed metrics, such as 100+ Mbps readiness, alongside consumer affordability measures. By contrast, Estrategia Nacional Digital 2023-2026 prioritizes demographic reach, defining connectivity through household access metrics and the closure of urban-rural gaps. Agenda Digital 2030 remains centered on network structural components, detailing connectivity through backbone and last-mile networks, fiber deployment, and 4G/5G infrastructure goals without integrating the affordability measures or demographic gap-closing criteria emphasized in the other strategies.

Synthesised from the 3 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.

How jurisdictions differ

What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first.

Jurisdiction	Instrument	Status	What is distinctive
Argentina	Digital Agenda 2030	In Force	Includes backbone and last-mile networks alongside fixed and mobile broadband, with explicit expansion targets for 4G/5G and fiber.
Colombia	National Digital Strategy 2023-2026	In Force	Emphasizes metrics for access, urban-rural gap closure, and household connectivity in national digital transformation efforts.
Slovakia	Strategy and Action Plan to Improve Slovakia's Position in the DESI Index to 2025	Adopted	Focuses on performance metrics like speed thresholds and 5G readiness, tied to improving EU DESI ranking.

Definitions (3)

Refers to fixed and mobile broadband access metrics and the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure to expand coverage, close urban‑rural gaps, and increase household internet access. The END uses this operational term to set numeric connectivity goals and guide infrastructure rollout policies.

Estrategia Nacional Digital 2023-2026 (National Digital Strategy 2023-2026)Definition 1 of 3

Coverage and infrastructure encompassing fixed and mobile broadband, backbone and last‑mile networks (including targets for broadband expansion, 4G/5G and fiber deployment) as referenced in the Agenda's infrastructure objectives.

Agenda Digital 2030 (Digital Agenda 2030)Definition 2 of 3

Encompasses fixed and mobile broadband infrastructure, network coverage, throughput (speed) metrics and affordability measures, including objectives such as high-capacity fixed broadband readiness (100+ Mbps) and 5G preparedness as set out in the Action Plan.

Strategy and Action Plan to Improve Slovakia's Position in the DESI Index to 2025Definition 3 of 3

Not to be confused with

last-mile connectivity

Last-mile connectivity is the final connection to end-users, while connectivity here covers the full infrastructure including backbone.

broadband

Broadband is the high-speed internet access itself, whereas connectivity encompasses the broader infrastructure enabling it.

digital infrastructure

Digital infrastructure includes cloud and services beyond networks, unlike connectivity's focus on network coverage and access.

Questions and answers

What does connectivity mean in national digital strategies?

Connectivity refers to access and infrastructure for fixed and mobile broadband, including deployment and coverage goals in digital agendas.

How does connectivity relate to 5G and fiber rollout?

Connectivity includes targets for 5G and fiber deployment as part of broader infrastructure objectives in the defined instruments.

Are there specific metrics for connectivity in these policies?

Yes, metrics like speed, coverage, and access rates are used to measure and improve connectivity in these strategies.