The UN’s Broadband Commission for Digital Development has made available two of the reports that supported its submission to the Secretary General of the UN earlier this month. The Commission stresses the significance of broadband availability in achieving most of the Millenium Development Goals and makes a raft of recommendations to help achieve the goal of “Broadband for All”. The executive summary includes a summary of some estimates of the impact of broadband on economic growth.
UN – Broadband for All
September 30th, 2010Accenture’s research on the retail channel
September 30th, 2010Accenture’s new research study on use of the retail channel by telecommunications operators highlights the resurgence of branded retail chains despite the growth of e-commerce sites. Accenture reveals that leading operators are following the example of high-tech brands such as Apple and Sony by expanding their physical retail presence, as consumers realise the advantages of instant product availability and access to knowledgeable staff. The report includes from surveys of consumers and industry executives.
ADL: FTTH – Double Squeeze of Incumbents – Forced to Partner?
September 14th, 2010A D Little’s new report on broadband networks compares fibre investments in Europe to similar investments in other developed countries, and warns that European incumbents are falling behind, with possible adverse consequences for Europe’s competitiveness. It urges action by EU governments and regulators to support investments in local fibre networks.
ITIF – Opportunities and Innovations in the Mobile Broadband Economy
September 14th, 2010The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a US based think tank, has published a report highlighting the opportunities for innovation applications presented by mobile broadband. The ITIF report looks at examples of opportunities in education, energy, health, banking, m-commerce and for users with disabilities. It also highlights the potential benefits for low income individuals and developing countries.
Opportunities and Innovations in the Mobile Broadband Economy
BCG: The Internet’s New Billion – Digital Consumers in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Indonesia
September 3rd, 2010While BCG’s new report highlights the diversity of Internet usage in the five countries, two key differences between the BRICI countries and more developed economies are the lower levels of home Internet access and home PC ownership. There are two principal responses: mobile broadband usage and Internet cafes. Thus BCG reports the BRICI mobile broadband user base tripled in the last three years, and that, for example, more than half of Internet users in rural China go online at Internet cafes.
FCC: International Broadband Data Report
September 3rd, 2010In it’s first International Broadband Data Report the FCC’s International Bureau provides comparative data on fixed retail broadband services offered in other countries. The report includes two appendices: the first comprises a list of fixed broadband packages available in 34 countries, mainly OECD and EU, with price data, while the second comprises data on broadband penetration and selected socio-economic variables for regions within many of these countries.
