THE STATE OF BROADBAND 2018: BROADBAND CATALYZING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CONTENTS
Executive Summary
1 Connecting the Unconnected
2 Rapidly Evolving Technologies
     2.1 Mobile Broadband
     2.2 Fixed Broadband
     2.3 Internet of Things
     2.4 Towards the Next Generation of Satellite Broadband
3 Evaluating Growth in Broadband Using the Commission’s Targets
     3.1  Advocacy Target 1: Making broadband policy universal
     3.2  Advocacy Target 2: Making broadband affordable
     3.3 Advocacy Target 3: Getting People Online
     3.4  Advocacy Target 4: Digital Skills & Literacy
     3.5  Advocacy Target 5: Digital Financial Services
     3.6  Advocacy Target 6: Getting businesses online
     3.7  Advocacy Target 7: Achieving gender equality in access to broadband by 2025
4 Advanced Technologies for Sustainable Development
     4.1 Digital Technologies for Education
     4.2 Digital Technologies for Health
     4.3 Digital Technologies for the Environment
5 Recommendations for Boosting Broadband
     5.1  Build National Leadership for Broadband
     5.2  Promote Training and Measures to Stimulate Demand
     5.3  Benchmark and Monitor ICT Developments
     5.4  Review Universal Service Measures, including RoW regulations
     5.5  Strengthen Digital Skills & Literacy
     5.6  Support Local e-Businesses and Local Entrepreneurship
     5.7  Review and adapt legal frameworks to take into account digitalization
     5.8  Reduce taxes and Import Duties on Telecom/ICT Equipment and Services
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
Table 1: Estimates of the Global Market: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021
Table 2: The Main xDSL Technologies
Table 3: Different Technologies Used for IoT
Table 4: Different Types of Data
Annex 1: Target 1 – List of National Broadband Policies, 2018
Annex 2: Fixed-Broadband Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2017
Annex 3: Mobile-Broadband Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2017
Annex 4: Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, 2017
Annex 5: Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, Developing Countries, 2017
Annex 6: Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, LDCs, 2017
Figure 1: The Structure of this Report
Figure 2: Average Connection Speeds Globally, by Country, 2018
Figure 3: Growth in Number of Users of Messaging and Hybrid Networks, 2011-2017
Figure 4: Changing Mobile Coverage, by Type of Network, 2007-2016
Figure 5: The Total Cost of Ownership for Mobile Access Networks will Increase
Figure 6: Data Mobile-Only Population for Urban and Rural Areas, Selected Countries, 2017
Figure 7: Technology Market Share by Region, Q4 2017
Figure 8: Bandwidth and Traffic Speeds for PON
Figure 9: How IoT is Driving Change
Figure 10: Policy Leadership in National Broadband Plans, 2008-2018
Figure 11: Policies on Net Neutrality, 2017
Figure 12: Who Regulates What in ICT?
Figure 13: Affordability & Broadband Prices, 2016
Figure 14: Internet User Penetration, 2017*
Figure 15: Digital Skills Worldwide, 2017
Figure 16: Digital Financial Services, 2018
Figure 17: Business use of Internet and level of technology intensity in developing countries, by industry
Figure 18: Measuring the Gender Gap in Internet Usage
Viewpoint 1: Expanding Access to Broadband Infrastructure with the 4 Is
Viewpoint 2: The Move from Traditional Connectivity to Intelligent Connectivity & Growing Inequality
Viewpoint 3: The Importance of 5G
Viewpoint 4: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plans to test and roll out 5G services
Viewpoint 5: The GiGA Story Smart Village Project for Regional Economic Growth
Viewpoint 6: The Development of Broadband in Switzerland
Viewpoint 7: Underwater Datacentres in the Sea – Project Natick
Viewpoint 8: The IoT as a Cornerstone for Digitization
Viewpoint 9: Banding Together to Go Farther, Faster
Viewpoint 10: The Role of Satellite in National Broadband Plans (NBPs)
Viewpoint 11: The Importance of Policy Analysis for Shaping Policy Priorities in Africa – Government of Rwanda
Viewpoint 12: Evolving National Broadband Availability Targets
Viewpoint 13: Helping realize affordable connectivity for people from all walks of life in Singapore
Viewpoint 14: Broadband for Development in four LDCs: Cambodia, Rwanda, Senegal and Vanuatu
Viewpoint 15: The Cambodia Public Wi-Fi & Digital Schools Project
Viewpoint 16: New Employment Dynamics & Skills of the Future
Viewpoint 17: The Importance of Thriving Digital Entrepreneurship
Viewpoint 18: The Importance of Connectivity for SMEs
Viewpoint 19: Singapore’s SMEs Go Digital
Viewpoint 20: Closing the digital and financial inclusion gender gap
Viewpoint 21: Collaborating to Achieve Digital Financial Inclusion – An Example from Pakistan
Viewpoint 22: Better Data for Doing Good – Using Big Data & AI for Sustainable Development
Viewpoint 23: The Opportunities Provided by Digital Technologies for Learning & Education
Viewpoint 24: Digital Technologies for Education in Africa
Viewpoint 25: Promoting Digital Financial Inclusion
Viewpoint 26: Mobile’s role in driving behavioural change for underserved communities
Viewpoint 27: Accelerating the Implementation of Digital Health as a Public Policy in Mexico
Viewpoint 28: Demand Programmes for Broadband Adoption
Viewpoint 29: Addressing the Digital Divide in Already Connected Areas
Executive Summary
1 Connecting the Unconnected
2 Rapidly Evolving Technologies
     2.1 Mobile Broadband
     2.2 Fixed Broadband
     2.3 Internet of Things
     2.4 Towards the Next Generation of Satellite Broadband
3 Evaluating Growth in Broadband Using the Commission’s Targets
     3.1  Advocacy Target 1: Making broadband policy universal
     3.2  Advocacy Target 2: Making broadband affordable
     3.3 Advocacy Target 3: Getting People Online
     3.4  Advocacy Target 4: Digital Skills & Literacy
     3.5  Advocacy Target 5: Digital Financial Services
     3.6  Advocacy Target 6: Getting businesses online
     3.7  Advocacy Target 7: Achieving gender equality in access to broadband by 2025
4 Advanced Technologies for Sustainable Development
     4.1 Digital Technologies for Education
     4.2 Digital Technologies for Health
     4.3 Digital Technologies for the Environment
5 Recommendations for Boosting Broadband
     5.1  Build National Leadership for Broadband
     5.2  Promote Training and Measures to Stimulate Demand
     5.3  Benchmark and Monitor ICT Developments
     5.4  Review Universal Service Measures, including RoW regulations
     5.5  Strengthen Digital Skills & Literacy
     5.6  Support Local e-Businesses and Local Entrepreneurship
     5.7  Review and adapt legal frameworks to take into account digitalization
     5.8  Reduce taxes and Import Duties on Telecom/ICT Equipment and Services
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
Table 1: Estimates of the Global Market: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021
Table 2: The Main xDSL Technologies
Table 3: Different Technologies Used for IoT
Table 4: Different Types of Data
Annex 1: Target 1 – List of National Broadband Policies, 2018
Annex 2: Fixed-Broadband Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2017
Annex 3: Mobile-Broadband Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2017
Annex 4: Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, 2017
Annex 5: Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, Developing Countries, 2017
Annex 6: Percentage of Individuals using the Internet, LDCs, 2017
Figure 1: The Structure of this Report
Figure 2: Average Connection Speeds Globally, by Country, 2018
Figure 3: Growth in Number of Users of Messaging and Hybrid Networks, 2011-2017
Figure 4: Changing Mobile Coverage, by Type of Network, 2007-2016
Figure 5: The Total Cost of Ownership for Mobile Access Networks will Increase
Figure 6: Data Mobile-Only Population for Urban and Rural Areas, Selected Countries, 2017
Figure 7: Technology Market Share by Region, Q4 2017
Figure 8: Bandwidth and Traffic Speeds for PON
Figure 9: How IoT is Driving Change
Figure 10: Policy Leadership in National Broadband Plans, 2008-2018
Figure 11: Policies on Net Neutrality, 2017
Figure 12: Who Regulates What in ICT?
Figure 13: Affordability & Broadband Prices, 2016
Figure 14: Internet User Penetration, 2017*
Figure 15: Digital Skills Worldwide, 2017
Figure 16: Digital Financial Services, 2018
Figure 17: Business use of Internet and level of technology intensity in developing countries, by industry
Figure 18: Measuring the Gender Gap in Internet Usage
Viewpoint 1: Expanding Access to Broadband Infrastructure with the 4 Is
Viewpoint 2: The Move from Traditional Connectivity to Intelligent Connectivity & Growing Inequality
Viewpoint 3: The Importance of 5G
Viewpoint 4: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia plans to test and roll out 5G services
Viewpoint 5: The GiGA Story Smart Village Project for Regional Economic Growth
Viewpoint 6: The Development of Broadband in Switzerland
Viewpoint 7: Underwater Datacentres in the Sea – Project Natick
Viewpoint 8: The IoT as a Cornerstone for Digitization
Viewpoint 9: Banding Together to Go Farther, Faster
Viewpoint 10: The Role of Satellite in National Broadband Plans (NBPs)
Viewpoint 11: The Importance of Policy Analysis for Shaping Policy Priorities in Africa – Government of Rwanda
Viewpoint 12: Evolving National Broadband Availability Targets
Viewpoint 13: Helping realize affordable connectivity for people from all walks of life in Singapore
Viewpoint 14: Broadband for Development in four LDCs: Cambodia, Rwanda, Senegal and Vanuatu
Viewpoint 15: The Cambodia Public Wi-Fi & Digital Schools Project
Viewpoint 16: New Employment Dynamics & Skills of the Future
Viewpoint 17: The Importance of Thriving Digital Entrepreneurship
Viewpoint 18: The Importance of Connectivity for SMEs
Viewpoint 19: Singapore’s SMEs Go Digital
Viewpoint 20: Closing the digital and financial inclusion gender gap
Viewpoint 21: Collaborating to Achieve Digital Financial Inclusion – An Example from Pakistan
Viewpoint 22: Better Data for Doing Good – Using Big Data & AI for Sustainable Development
Viewpoint 23: The Opportunities Provided by Digital Technologies for Learning & Education
Viewpoint 24: Digital Technologies for Education in Africa
Viewpoint 25: Promoting Digital Financial Inclusion
Viewpoint 26: Mobile’s role in driving behavioural change for underserved communities
Viewpoint 27: Accelerating the Implementation of Digital Health as a Public Policy in Mexico
Viewpoint 28: Demand Programmes for Broadband Adoption
Viewpoint 29: Addressing the Digital Divide in Already Connected Areas