Insight 5: Information as a Public Good – Why Broadband? Why Government? allows companies to explore new business opportuni-ties, access customers and obtain information about market prices. Better access to information makes markets function more effi ciently and raises producer incomes. Greater access to information about the performance of government helps improve govern-ment Broadband is a key driver of economic growth and national competitiveness. Recent World Bank research suggests that the contribution of broadband to economic growth is substantial and may be greater than narrowband or voice-based ICTs, providing a boost of 1.38% to GDP growth in developing countries for every 10% increase in broadband pen-etration accountability and governance. Broadband networks are increasingly being used to deliver public services such as fi nancial services, healthcare and e-voting. Despite rapid recent growth, broadband is still in its early stages. The future will see wider deployment, greater capacities and a shift towards wireless plat-forms (Figure 3). Broadband is transforming the way in which we live and work – companies are now using broadband to improve productivity through remote monitoring, logistics management and online procurement and to provide services such as e-com-merce to enable mobility. Broadband in developing countries will follow a similar path, but with greater emphasis on wireless networks. Expanding affordable access to broadband is becoming a high priority for governments of developed and developing countries. and e-banking. Broadband is also a key means of accessing informa-tion in developed countries. Although broadband How is this best achieved, and what should be the role of government in the provision of broadband? The basic principle is that government should only intervene based on sound economic principles and where the benefi ts of intervention outweigh the costs. There are two different roles for the public itself does not fulfi l the classic criteria of the defi ni-tion of a public good, it provides access to informa-tion, which is a public good and is essential to all forms of economic activity and good governance. Broadband provides access to new technologies and 30 Confronting the Crisis: ICT Stimulus Plans for Economic Growth