Committed to Connecting the World Aid for Trade workshop 2017 Aid for trade monitoring and evaluation exercise 30 May, 2017, OECD, Paris Chapter 5: Spanning the Internet divide to drive development (ITU) Vanessa GRAY Head of LDCs, SIDS & Emergency Telecommunications Division Telecommunication Development Bureau International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
A decade of strong growth in ICTs 100 90 Per 100 inhabitants/households 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* Active mobile broadband subscriptions Fixed telephone subscriptions Households with Internet access Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions Fixed broadband subscriptions Households with a computer Individuals using the Internet Note: * ITU estimates. Source: ITU.
Inequalities in ICT access and use 140 130 120 110 Per 100 inhabitants/households 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Fixed telephone subscriptions Mobile cellular subscriptions Fixed broadband subscriptions Mobile broadband subscriptions Households with a computer Households with Internet access World Developed countries Developing countries LDCs Individuals using the Internet Note: ITU estimates.
ITU ICT Development Index: LDCs are not catching up fast enough Composite index combining 11 indicators for ICT access use and skills into one value Make comparisons between countries and over time All of the bottom 27 ranked countries are LDCs
Mobile as the key driver of access Mobile network coverage and evolving technologies in LDCs LTE or higher
Driving development: mobile broadband Mobile broadband Fixed broadband PER 100 INHABITANTS 76.6 78.2 53.0 47.6 42.6 29.3 90.3 49.4 40.9 19.4 PER 100 INHABITANTS 30.0 18.9 15.4 4.8 10.5 0.7 30.1 11.9 8.2 0.8 Note: ITU estimates.
Falling prices, more affordable mobile services Average handset based mobile broadband prices have dropped from USD 26 in 2013 to USD 9 in 2015 On average, these mobile broadband prices in LDCs still represent 11% of GNI per capita Number of services and pricing models are increasing, also to adapt to the needs of LDCs Mobile broadband prices as a percentage of GNI per capita, 2013 15, 500 MB prepaid handset based As a % of GNI p.c. 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 2013 2014 2015 LDCs Developed World Developing
Fixed versus mobile networks Mobile broadband remains inferior in terms of speed, latency, and capacity IMT 2020 (5G) networks promise to address some of the challenges but backbone infrastructure is critical Key policy implications: Governments must foster investments in the latest generation of mobile networks Countries must invest in fixed broadband infrastructure: national backbones and international connectivity
Backbone infrastructure International Internet bandwidth in kbit/s per inhabitant, 2015 Route metres of fibre and microwave backbone per capita by region, 2016 5.0 4.5 4.0 4.3 4.0 Route metres per cpaita 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.4 0.9 1.1 1.1 Africa Arab States Asia & Pacific CIS Europe The Americas
Generations of regulation G5 G4 G3 G2 G1 Collaborative regulation Inclusive dialogue and harmonized approach across sectors Integrated regulation Led by economic and social policy goals Enabling investment, innovation and access Dual focus on stimulating competition in service and content delivery, and consumer protection Opening markets Partial liberalization and privatization across the layers Regulated public monopolies Command & control approach
Adressing connectivity bottlenecks Develop National ICT/Broadband Plans, set targets and track and monitor implementation Liberalization, privatization and inter and intra platform competition Creating an enabling environment, removing entry barriers, allow foreign ownership and investment When private investment is not sufficient Direct government investment Public private partnerships (PPPs) Use of universal service funds and obligations State aid, tax incentives
What policy makers can do Winning formula for mobile broadband Competition in mobile broadband Competition in international gateways Mobile number portability enabled (implemented, available to consumers) Spectrum band migration allowed Infrastructure sharing for mobile operators permitted, including MVNOs National broadband plan adopted Winning formula for fixed broadband Competition in DSL/cable Fixed number portability enabled (implemented, available to consumers) Infrastructure sharing/colocation and site sharing for fixed mandated Converged licensing framework in place National broadband plan adopted
Paradox of connectivity versus use More than 50% of the population in LDCs is covered by a mobilebroadband signal, but: Only 15% use the Internet Internet users per 100 inhabitants, 2016 Mobile network coverage and evolving technologies in LDCs >50% coverage LTE or higher
ICT divides, and barriers outside the ICT ecosystem Education Income Gender Age Content Language Proportion of individuals using the Internet, by gender, 2016* Africa 22 28 Arab States Asia & Pacific 37 39 46 47 The Americas CIS 64 66 65 69 Europe 76 82 Developed 80 82 World 45 51 Developing 37 45 LDC 13 18 Female Male
Education, education, education Internet use by level of education in developing countries, 2013 15* Notes: *Latest data available. ISCED = International Standard Classification of Education. Source: ITU Measuring the Information Society Report 2016.
Highlights Growth in ICT infrastructure, connectivity, access and use promise great development opportunities ICTs are key building blocks of the digital economy, to facilitate trade and drive e commerce Internet divide remains a key barrier to the global information society, particularly for LDCs Governments have an important role to play in creating an enabling environment, to make ICTs affordable, and to address key barriers Broader socio economic barriers and inequalities outside the ICT ecosystem also need to be addressed