Abstract
In the light of the emerging consensus on the potential impact of broadband technology on economic growth and development, this chapter analyzes the cross-country differences in growth of broadband technology by examining the key demand and supply factors driving diffusion in the observed countries. In addition, utilizing empirical evidence and country case analyses, the chapter offers tentative policy suggestions for accelerating broadband diffusion under alternative circumstances.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Broadband Diffusion: Refers to the spread of deployment and adoption of broadband technology.
Technology Neutral Regulation: Refers to a specific regulatory process under which rules and regulations prevent service providers from preferring one type of technology over another in provisioning of their services.
Broadband (BB) Penetration: A measure for extent of access to broadband communications within the population of a particular location where location could refer to a region, a country, or the entire world. Normally, it is computed as a ratio between number of subscribers and total population for a particular location. Often, this ratio is multiplied by 100 to represent broadband penetration per 100 inhabitants.
Broadband (BB) Access Networks: Broadband access network, often shortened to “broadband internet”, is a high data transmission rate Internet connection. DSL and cable modem, which are popular consumer broadband access technologies, are typically capable of transmitting faster than a dial-up modem.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT): Technology of information retrieval, conversion, storage, protection, processing, and transmission.
Broadband Demand: Consumer willingness to use and pay for broadband services.
Broadband (BB) Technology: Refers to transmission capacity with sufficient bandwidth to permit combined provisioning of voice, data, and video. Broadband does not refer to any specific lower limit of speed of transmission or bit-rate as it is evolving with technological dynamics and consumer demand.
Unbundling of Local Loop Regulation: Unbundling local loop is a regulatory process of requiring incumbent operators to provide access to some or all of the disaggregated elements and/or functionality of last miles (telephone exchange’s central office to customer’s premise) of their legacy telephone networks to their competitors so as to enable the latter to deliver services to their own customers.
Broadband Deployment: Refers to development of broadband networks or infrastructure through which broadband services can be delivered.