IMT-Advanced standards for mobile broadband communications ITU started the development of radio interface standards for mobile communications on the eve of the initial deployments of the first digital cellular systems (known as 2G). This effort, led by governments and industry, gave birth to the framework of standards known as IMT — for international mobile telecommunications — which also includes the identification of radio-frequency spectrum and band arrangements. The IMT scope encompasses the well-established IMT‑2000 and the newly developed IMT-Advanced. To learn more on the mobile broadband please see Stephen M. Blust: ITU NEWS

IMT-Advanced standards for mobile broadband communications

ITU started the development of radio interface standards for mobile communications on the eve of the initial deployments of the first digital cellular systems (known as 2G). This effort, led by governments and industry, gave birth to the framework of standards known as IMT — for international mobile telecommunications — which also includes the identification of radio-frequency spectrum and band arrangements. The IMT scope encompasses the well-established IMT‑2000 and the newly developed IMT-Advanced.

To learn more on the mobile broadband please see Stephen M. Blust: ITU NEWS

Who can afford broadband?

In October 2011, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development set the target that basic broadband service should cost less than 5% of average monthly income in all countries worldwide by 2015. How many countries already make the grade? And what are prices like in the poorest parts of the world, where broadband could be the critical catalyst for meeting the Millennium Development Goals in areas like education and health?
Watch ITU’s latest video on the state of broadband worldwide.

For more information please visit: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Statistics and Broadband Commission for Digital Development

This report summarizes the key outcomes and conclusions emerging from the Broadband Leadership Summit. The Broadband Leadership Summit at ITU Telecom World 2011 took place from 24 to 25 October 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Summit which was co-hosted by ITU Telecom and the Broadband Commission for Digital Development convened over 330 leaders from industry, government and academia. The Summit focused on the role of broadband as critical modern infrastructure driving economic growth, trade and productivity, especially in light of today’s challenging economic climate. Immediately prior to the Summit, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development endorsed the “Broadband Challenge”, recognizing communication as ‘a human need and a right’ and calling on governments and private industry to work together to develop the innovative policy frameworks, business models and financing arrangements needed to facilitate growth in access to broadband worldwide. At the Summit, the Broadband Commission also issued a set of four new targets that countries around the world should strive to meet in order to ensure their populations can fully participate in tomorrow’s emerging knowledge societies. for more information please see: Broadband Commission website

This report summarizes the key outcomes and conclusions emerging from the Broadband Leadership Summit.

The Broadband Leadership Summit at ITU Telecom World 2011 took place from 24 to 25 October 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Summit which was co-hosted by ITU Telecom and the Broadband Commission for Digital Development convened over 330 leaders from industry, government and academia. The Summit focused on the role of broadband as critical modern infrastructure driving economic growth, trade and productivity, especially in light of today’s challenging economic climate. Immediately prior to the Summit, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development endorsed the “Broadband Challenge”, recognizing communication as ‘a human need and a right’ and calling on governments and private industry to work together to develop the innovative policy frameworks, business models and financing arrangements needed to facilitate growth in access to broadband worldwide. At the Summit, the Broadband Commission also issued a set of four new targets that countries around the world should strive to meet in order to ensure their populations can fully participate in tomorrow’s emerging knowledge societies.

for more information please see: Broadband Commission website

Broadband and the economy: Growth, productivity and employment The article looks at the economic impact of broadband and in particular its effect on employment. Investment in broadband has soared around the world. In the United States alone, telecommunications and cable television companies invested more than USD 97.7 billion in broadband deployment between 2004 and 2010. Since 2009, Chinese companies have invested USD 7.44 billion in broadband, while Malaysian operators have invested USD 1.6 billion. Research aimed at generating hard evidence on the economic impact of broadband is fairly recent. The evidence gathered so far concerns the contribution of broadband to the growth of gross domestic product (GDP), employment creation, and productivity gains. For more information please see: ITU NEWS  View high resolution

Broadband and the economy: Growth, productivity and employment

The article looks at the economic impact of broadband and in particular its effect on employment. Investment in broadband has soared around the world. In the United States alone, telecommunications and cable television companies invested more than USD 97.7 billion in broadband deployment between 2004 and 2010. Since 2009, Chinese companies have invested USD 7.44 billion in broadband, while Malaysian operators have invested USD 1.6 billion.

Research aimed at generating hard evidence on the economic impact of broadband is fairly recent. The evidence gathered so far concerns the contribution of broadband to the growth of gross domestic product (GDP), employment creation, and productivity gains.

For more information please see: ITU NEWS 

Rolling out broadband in Small Island Development States

In the occasion of ITU Telecom World held in Geneva from 24 _ 27 October, 2011 interviews focusing on the broadband and ICT sector new paradigms and current situation were conducted by ITU Telecom TV which reporting from ITU Telecom World 2011 event.

To learn more about the challenges of rolling out broadband in Small Island Development States considering Vanuatu case please see the interview  with Mr. Alan Horne –Telecommunication and Radiotelecommunication Regulator from Vanuatu.

For more information please visit: http://world2011.itu.int/

Fixed-broadband subscriptions World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011 presented the fixed-broadband subscriptions, by speed in early 2011. Some key findings: While almost all fixed-broadband connections in the Republic of Korea provide speeds equal to, or above 10 Mbit/s, broadband users in Ghana, Mongolia, Oman and Venezuela are limited to broadband speeds below 2 Mbit/s. An Internet connection with a speed of 256 kbit/s limits the types of applications and services that Internet users can enjoy. Service providers for data-intensive services, such as Video-on-Demand, recommend a minimum speed of 2 Mbit/s. Advertised and real speeds can differ substantially. In some countries, regulatory authorities monitor the speed and quality of broadband services and oblige operators to provide accurate quality-of-service information to end users. For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures View high resolution

Fixed-broadband subscriptions

World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011 presented the fixed-broadband subscriptions, by speed in early 2011.

Some key findings:

  1. While almost all fixed-broadband connections in the Republic of Korea provide speeds equal to, or above 10 Mbit/s, broadband users in Ghana, Mongolia, Oman and Venezuela are limited to broadband speeds below 2 Mbit/s.
  2. An Internet connection with a speed of 256 kbit/s limits the types of applications and services that Internet users can enjoy. Service providers for data-intensive services, such as Video-on-Demand, recommend a minimum speed of 2 Mbit/s.
  3. Advertised and real speeds can differ substantially. In some countries, regulatory authorities monitor the speed and quality of broadband services and oblige operators to provide accurate quality-of-service information to end users.

For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html

Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures

Fixed broadband prices in developing countries drop by over 50% in just two years According to the World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011 fixed broadband prices in developing countries drop by over 50% in just two years  The steepest price drop occurred in developing countries, where fixed broadband prices dropped by 52.2%. In developing countries, mobile cellular prices, which have substantially dropped over the last decade, fell by a further 22%. The 2010 mobile-cellular sub-basket represented on average 11.4% of monthly GNI per capita, compared to 2% in developed countries. ICT services continue to be more affordable in high-income economies and less affordable in low-income economies. By 2010, the cost of ICT services averaged 1.5% of GNI per capita in developed countries, compared with 17% of GNI per capita in developing countries. In 31 countries — all of them highly industrialized economies — an entry-level broadband connection costs on average the equivalent of 1% or less of average monthly GNI per capita, while in 19 countries — most of them least developed countries — a broadband connection costs on average more than 100% of monthly GNI per capita. For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures

Fixed broadband prices in developing countries drop by over 50% in just two years

According to the World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011 fixed broadband prices in developing countries drop by over 50% in just two years 

  1. The steepest price drop occurred in developing countries, where fixed broadband prices dropped by 52.2%.
  2. In developing countries, mobile cellular prices, which have substantially dropped over the last decade, fell by a further 22%. The 2010 mobile-cellular sub-basket represented on average 11.4% of monthly GNI per capita, compared to 2% in developed countries.
  3. ICT services continue to be more affordable in high-income economies and less affordable in low-income economies. By 2010, the cost of ICT services averaged 1.5% of GNI per capita in developed countries, compared with 17% of GNI per capita in developing countries.
  4. In 31 countries — all of them highly industrialized economies — an entry-level broadband connection costs on average the equivalent of 1% or less of average monthly GNI per capita, while in 19 countries — most of them least developed countries — a broadband connection costs on average more than 100% of monthly GNI per capita.

For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html

Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures

Almost 6 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions According to the World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures  - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011,there are almost 6 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions. With 5.9 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions, global penetration reaches 87%, and 79% in the developing world. Mobile-broadband subscriptions have grown 45% annually over the last four years and today there are twice as many mobile-broadband as fixed broadband subscriptions. For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures View high resolution

Almost 6 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions

According to the World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures  - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011,there are almost 6 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions.

  1. With 5.9 billion mobile-cellular subscriptions, global penetration reaches 87%, and 79% in the developing world.
  2. Mobile-broadband subscriptions have grown 45% annually over the last four years and today there are twice as many mobile-broadband as fixed broadband subscriptions.

For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html

Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures

Active mobile-broadband subscriptions reach almost 1.2 billion in 2011 According to the World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures  - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011, active mobile-broadband subscriptions reach almost 1.2 billion. Some other interesting figures and finding: A total of 159 economies worldwide have launched 3G services commercially and the number of active mobile-broadband subscriptions has increased to almost 1.2 billion. While people in developed countries usually use mobile-broadband networks in addition to a fixed broadband connection, mobile-broadband is often the only access method available to people in developing countries. The percentage of the population covered by a 2G mobile-cellular network is twice as high as the population covered by a 3G network. 3G population coverage reached 45% in 2011. For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures View high resolution

Active mobile-broadband subscriptions reach almost 1.2 billion in 2011

According to the World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures  - published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011, active mobile-broadband subscriptions reach almost 1.2 billion.

Some other interesting figures and finding:

  1. A total of 159 economies worldwide have launched 3G services commercially and the number of active mobile-broadband subscriptions has increased to almost 1.2 billion.
  2. While people in developed countries usually use mobile-broadband networks in addition to a fixed broadband connection, mobile-broadband is often the only access method available to people in developing countries.
  3. The percentage of the population covered by a 2G mobile-cellular network is twice as high as the population covered by a 3G network. 3G population coverage reached 45% in 2011.

For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html

Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures

The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures The brochure, which was published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011, highlights the latest global ICT facts and trends and includes figures on Internet use, fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions, international Internet bandwidth, home ICT access, and more. International Internet bandwidth, a key factor for providing high-speed Internet access to a growing number of Internet users has grown exponentially over the last five years, from 11 000 Gbit/s in 2006, to close to 80000 Gbit/s in 2011. For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures View high resolution

The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures

The brochure, which was published on the occasion of ITU Telecom, on October 25th, 2011, highlights the latest global ICT facts and trends and includes figures on Internet use, fixed and mobile broadband subscriptions, international Internet bandwidth, home ICT access, and more.

International Internet bandwidth, a key factor for providing high-speed Internet access to a growing number of Internet users has grown exponentially over the last five years, from 11 000 Gbit/s in 2006, to close to 80000 Gbit/s in 2011.

For more information visit: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/facts/2011/index.html

Download: The World in 2011: ICT Facts and Figures