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Broadband prices: Methodology

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  “Birth of Broadband” is the fifth in the series of the “ITU Internet Reports”, originally launched in 1997 under the title “Challenges to the Network”. This edition has been specially prepared for the ITU TELECOM World 2003 Exhibition and Forum, to be held in Geneva from 12 to 18 October 2003. As one of the “hot topics” of the telecommunication industry in 2003, broadband is expected to be one of the highlights of this year’s show. This new report examines the emergence of high-speed, dedicated Internet connections that will greatly expand the world’s access to information. Broadband will also facilitate the long-expected convergence of three previously distinct technologies: computing, communications and broadcasting.

The introductory chapter of the report, Broadband dreams, explains what broadband can do for users, society and industry. Chapter two, Technologies for broadband, explains the different broadband technologies and how each can provide broadband access under different economic and network conditions. Chapter three, Supplying broadband, looks at how broadband has been successfully provided in certain economies and how certain policies can help expand the network. Chapter four, Using broadband, discusses the current and emerging applications that are driving broadband take-up along with applications and content models that show the most promise for the future. Chapter five, Regulatory and policy aspects, examines regulatory and policy frameworks in successful broadband markets. Chapter six, Promoting broadband, looks at the broadband experiences of several countries characterized by high penetration rates and extensive networks, including conclusions drawn from ITU country case studies on broadband, and examines why and how broadband should be actively promoted. Chapter seven, Broadband and the information society, looks at broadband as a component of a society built around ubiquitous access to information, including some of the benefits and pitfalls of total connectivity. The Statistical annex contains data and charts covering 206 economies worldwide, with original data on broadband and comparative information measured against a selection of variables. The Executive Summary, published separately, provides a résumé of the full report, focusing on each of the chapters.

ITU, the United Nations specialized agency for telecommunications, is committed to playing a positive role in the development of the information society and to extending the benefits of advances in telephony and new information and communication technologies (ICT), such as broadband, to all the world’s inhabitants. This is in line with the Resolution of the highest administrative organ of ITU (Resolution 101 of the Plenipotentiary Conference (Minneapolis, 1998)), which calls upon ITU to “fully embrace the opportunities for telecommunication development that arise from the growth of IP-based services”, and subsequent ongoing calls from ITU’s Member States to continue to actively pursue this objective. The ITU Internet Reports are hopefully a significant contribution to that commitment.

This site provides summaries of the report's chapters as well as a list of relevant links to the topic discussed in each chapter. 

Chapter Summaries

1. Broadband Dreams

2. Broadband Technologies

3. Supplying Broadband

4. Using Broadband

5. Regulatory and Policy Aspects

6. Promoting Broadband

7. Broadband and the Information Society