TERA is a project within the ACTS Programme (Advanced Communications Technologies and Services), which represents the European Commission's major effort to support precompetitive RTD (Research and Technological Development) in the context of trials in the field of telecommunications during the period of the Fourth Framework Programme of scientific research and development (1994-2000).

The main objective of this project is to support consolidation, condensing and rationalising of deployment guidelines for introduction of advanced communication services and networks.