BDT Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin delivered opening remarks to the 7th ITU Economic Experts Roundtable, which considered ''The telecommunications industry in the post-COVID 19 world.''
During the ITU Economic Experts Roundtable in June 2020, experts concluded that the digital infrastructure sector needed to re-examine some of its fundamental premises in the context of the new, post-pandemic environment. In particular, experts were clear that governments need to learn from the lessons of the pandemic and take concrete, actionable measures to enable operators to provide universal access to quality digital networks, and actively support the development of a digital economy.
Ms Bogdan-Martin drew attention to the fact that ''While Internet adoption can be explained by multiple demand variables, such as the unaffordability of broadband service or lack of digital skills, part of the penetration gap can also be attributed to a simple lack of network coverage.'' While on average, globally, almost 85% of the population has access to 4G mobile networks and almost 70% to fixed broadband networks, network coverage is significantly lower in the developing world.
Two panels of expert economists considered, (1) What are the new business and operating models required to connect everyone? (2) Are there any potential investment approaches capable of achieving the goals of universal service?
ITU simultaneously launched a new report on ''The impact of policies, regulation, and institutions on ICT sector performance'', which demonstrates the measurable impact of regulation on the growth of global ICT markets over the past decade.
Ms Bogdan-Martin described that although ''there may be no 'silver bullet' that will solve the universal connectivity problem'', it is possible with the right enabling regulatory and policy frameworks and combination of business models and financing approaches tailored to specific economic and social conditions. She said, ''As with all great challenges, bridging the digital divide is going to require a great deal of hard work, a great deal of resolution, and a great deal of cooperation.''
