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Broadband Commission releases first country case studies
Snapshot of state of broadband in four emerging
economies spanning the Americas,
Asia and Europe
Geneva, 15 May, 2012 – The
Broadband Commission for
Digital Development, in partnership with ITU, has today released
its first country case studies looking in-depth at the state of broadband
development in four economies and examining links between broadband and the UN
Millennium Development Goals.
The case studies, which cover the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
Panama, the Philippines, and Romania, look at the effect of broadband
connectivity on economic growth and access to basic services like education and
health. They offer regulatory guidance and best practices, showcasing success
stories and lessons learned.
Romania and TFYR Macedonia both provide strong examples of how adopting
pro-ICT policies, establishing effective regulatory frameworks and developing
strategic private and public partnerships can play a key role in boosting
broadband access, affordability and demand.
A nation with a strong commitment to connectivity as a driver of national
growth, TFYR Macedonia already boasts an impressive broadband penetration rate
of 32%. Internet access in schools and Wi-Fi-based public Internet access points
have been rolled out throughout the country, including remote areas. Schools now
offer one Web-enabled computer for every 1.45 children, while university
students and academics can freely access knowledge and research resources via
the academic network MARnet.
Meanwhile, near-neighbour Romania ranks among the top countries in the world
for broadband speed, and scores well for affordability too. The average cost of
a baseline monthly broadband subscription represents less than 5% of average
monthly income – well within the
global targets established by the Broadband Commission last
October. Public access is promoted through initiatives like ‘Biblionet’, which
was launched in 2009 and which provides free library-based access through some
795 public libraries equipped with 3,318 computers.
Case studies on Panama and the Philippines, meanwhile, explore the impact of
broadband on the economy and on job creation. Both studies evaluate the
development of e-applications in the areas of education, public health, media
and government services – all of which can help further stimulate broadband
adoption.
In Panama, fixed broadband is having a significant economic impact. Analysis
of a structural econometric model for the period 2000-2010 indicates that fixed
broadband now contributes an annual 0.44% of GDP, with the indirect effects of
fixed broadband use estimated to have contributed almost 9.6% of total national
economic growth. Accelerating take-up means that this impact has now almost
doubled to reach 0.82% of annual GDP, and contributed 11.3% of all economic
growth over the decade.
In the Philippines’ case study, analysis over the same 10-year period
indicates that mobile broadband adoption has contributed an annual 0.32% to GDP,
representing 6.9% of total GDP growth for the economy over the past decade.
Given the acceleration of mobile broadband penetration since 2005, this impact
has also now almost doubled, reaching 0.61% of GDP, representing 7.3% of total
economic growth over the decade.
The new case studies were launched during a special side event held during
the WSIS Forum 2012 event, which is taking place in Geneva this week (14-18
May).
Speaking after the launch, ITU Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré noted that
“It is now time to ensure that everyone – wherever they live, and whatever their
circumstances – has access to the benefits of broadband. This is not just about
delivering connectivity for connectivity’s sake, or even about giving people
access to the undoubted benefits of social communications. It is about
leveraging the power of broadband technologies, and especially mobile
technologies, to make the world a better place.”
Download the full set of case studies at:
www.broadbandcommission.org/work/documents/case-studies.aspx
Visit ITU’s Broadband Universe portal for up-to-date statistics, videos and
broadband news: www.itu.int/broadband
For more information on the Broadband Commission, visit:
www.broadbandcommission.org
Follow the Broadband Commission on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/broadbandcommission
Follow the Broadband Commission on Twitter:
www.itu.int/twitter
For more information, please contact:
Sarah Parkes
Media Relations, ITU
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About the Broadband Commission for
Digital Development
The Broadband Commission for Digital Development was launched
at ITU headquarters in Geneva in May 2010 in response to UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon’s call to step up UN efforts to
meet the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is
co-chaired by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Mr Carlos Slim
Helú, President of the Carlos Slim Foundation, with ITU
Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun Touré and UNESCO Director-General,
Ms Irina Bokova, serving as joint vice chairs.
Commission members comprise a high-powered
international community, including prominent CEOs, top-level
policy-makers and government representatives, heads of
international agencies, and senior figures from academia and
organizations with a development mandate. In 2011, Commissioners
agreed on a set of four
targets that countries around the world
should strive to meet in order to ensure their populations fully
participate in tomorrow’s emerging knowledge societies.
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