Comparing China's and India's Evolution of Broadband Internet in the Developing World

Abstract

Telecommunications networks of India and the People’s Republic of China are among the largest in the world. The two economies have a number of areas for broadband use ripe for exploration. Broadband networks in some regions in these two economies are even more developed than in some parts of the industrialized world. There are, however, a number of reasons to believe that these two countries may exhibit distinct and varied patterns of broadband diffusion. This chapter compares and contrasts the diffusion patterns of broadband technology in the two economies. We examine factors driving broadband diffusion in the two economies in three major categories: demand and cost conditions, industry structure, and export conditions.