Connecting the world and beyond

Publications on Policy and Regulation

Below you will find a link to a series of specific thematic reports that have been produced:

Below you find a link to the different publications produced under the Study Group 1 questions: and are related with the

2026

Global Economic Model and Study (GEMS) Tool for Digital Infrastructure Deployment

The GEMS Tool report introduces both a comprehensive methodological framework and the analytical econometric tool designed to support policymakers, regulators, operators, and industry stakeholders. The report serves as a contribution to ongoing global efforts, but also as a practical instrument to support country-level action.

Technical Note ICT Regulatory Tracker 2007-2024

The ITU ICT Regulatory Tracker has become the reference benchmark for assessing ICT regulatory maturity, used by Member States, international organizations and academia. Its value lies in a robust, neutral and well-established methodology applied consistently across 194 countries, drawing on official inputs to the ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Regulatory Survey and structured desk research.

Regulatory perspectives for satellite communications to connect underserved communities

This report examines satellite telecommunications policy practices in five key countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa), aiming to understand how satellite technology has been used to reduce connectivity disparities.

Meaningful connectivity: mapping affordability policies for Brazil

This report draws on the recently developed national meaningful-connectivity indicators and aims to identify potential public policies which could improve the two with the weakest performance: the affordability of fixed broadband services and the affordability of computers for household use.

2025
	Technical study on telecommunication/ICT infrastructure data, costs and analysis in Nigeria This report analyses the costs of connecting to the Internet and providing Internet services in Nigeria, and seeks to provide clear recommendations for the telecommunication business and policy in the country.	An overview of digital service taxation This report seeks to demystify the complex world of digital service taxation, offering a comprehensive comparative analysis across countries and regions. The study examines taxes imposed on operators in the digital economy, as well as those affecting the consumption of digital services by enterprises and consumers.
	The impact of digital transformation on the economy – Econometric Modelling Using econometric models, the study reveals the impact of ICT on innovation, productivity, and digital inclusion. Although growth has slowed, the ICT sector remains a key driver of economic transformation, with ongoing advancements in connectivity expected to sustain its long-term influence. Broadband adoption continues to rise, supported by greater coverage and affordability.

2024
	Collaborative digital regulation country review: South Africa's digital transformation and collaborative regulation As South Africa adopts reforms to further strengthen its economy across multiple sectors, this country review presents the policy, legislative, and governance frameworks that are enabling South Africa’s digital transformation. It includes a review of key institutions and collaborative digital regulation practices, as well as common themes related to digital sector policies and frameworks.			Benchmark of fifth-generation collaborative digital regulation 2023 – Global and regional trends The second in the series 'Benchmark for fifth generation collaborative digital regulation 2023: global and regional trends' is the analytical companion of the 2023 edition of the G5 Benchmark. The paper highlights the trends and findings on the evolution of digital regulation based on the latest dataset.

Other ressources
	Global Digital Regulatory Outlook (2023) The Global Digital Regulatory Outlook 2023 unveils the latest in its suite of highly specialized tools: a unified framework for assessing the state of readiness of national policy, legal and governance frameworks for digital transformation, while supporting national ICT regulators in evidence-based decision decision-making.			Financing universal access to digital technologies and services (2021) Designed to provide practical guidance to our members and other stakeholders, this report contributes to reviewing and rethinking funds as a concept, exploring alternative models using a combination of monetary and non-monetary contributions and implementing innovative risk-mitigation mechanisms and financial solutions for smarter investments. It also provides guidance on the policy and regulatory frameworks needed to attract greater private sector participation in financing universal connectivity, access and uptake and explores business models for deploying supply and demand-side projects and initiatives in the digital era.

Publications prior to 2024:

Digital Policy action areas for a connected ASEAN
ITU Thematic Reports (BB Reports)
Economics & Finance publications (EF Reports)
THEM: Thematic regional or national studies (THEM Reports)
Trends in Telecommunication Reform Series

Connecting the world and beyond

Publications on Policy and Regulation

Regulatory perspectives for satellite communications to connect underserved communities

This report examines satellite telecommunications policy practices in five key countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa), aiming to understand how satellite technology has been used to reduce connectivity disparities​.

Collaborative digital regulation country review: ​South Africa's digital transformation and collaborative regulation

About us

This report examines satellite telecommunications policy practices in five key countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa), aiming to understand how satellite technology has been used to reduce connectivity disparities.

Collaborative digital regulation country review:
South Africa's digital transformation and collaborative regulation