Page 57 - SAMENA Trends - January 2020

ARTICLE SAMENA TRENDS

ARTICLE

New Approaches Needed to Ensure Connectivity for

Everyone - An Overview

In today’s digital era, the role of broadband –
and the benefits of broadband connectivity
– in driving and underpinning a country’s
progress have never been greater and

have never been more clearly measurable:
fixed and mobile broadband contribute to
economic growth, which numerous studies
have examined, including a recent study
by ITU on the impact of broadband, digital
transformation and the interplay of ICT
regulation and national economies.

Connecting everyone as a precondition for an inclusive digital
society
The Internet has the potential to positively impact and transform
people’s lives and bring benefits in a great number of areas,
including health, education, financial services, transport, energy,
agriculture, and more. As highlighted in the most recent UN
Broadband Commission’s “State of Broadband Report 2019” , in Imme Philbeck
1
today’s digital era, the role of broadband – and the benefits of
broadband connectivity – in driving and underpinning a country’s Chief Economist and Director of Sector
progress have never been greater and have never been more Development
clearly measurable: fixed and mobile broadband contribute to SAMENA Telecommunications Council
economic growth, which numerous studies have examined,
2
including a recent study by ITU on the impact of broadband,
3
digital transformation and the interplay of ICT regulation and
national economies. The study shows that an increase of 1 per
cent in fixed broadband penetration yields an increase of 0.08 per
cent in GDP, and an increase of 1 per cent in mobile broadband
penetration yields an increase of 0.15 per cent. 4

1 See: State of Broadband Report 2019: Geneva: International Telecommunication Union and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 2019. Licence:
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO, https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-s/opb/pol/S-POL-BROADBAND.20-2019-PDF-E.pdf
2 See: https://broadbandcommission.org/Documents/publications/davos-discussion-paper-jan2016.pdf
3 See: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Regulatory-Market/Documents/FINAL_1d_18-00513_Broadband-and-Digital-Transformation-E.pdf
4 The analysis also establishes, that generally mobile broadband appears to have a higher economic impact than fixed broadband, and that the impact is greater in less
developed countries than in more developed countries.
57 JANUARY 2020