Broadband networks vital for economic and social growth
Broadband networks vital for economic and social growth
A forum of experts and leaders in the ICT industry have concluded that broadband connection is vital to social and economic development.
The Broader Way forum gathered as part of the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona. The members of the forum discussed the role that broadband connections have in helping the creation of new growth and business models. Ryan Ding, the CEO of Carrier Network Business Group, said, "As the ICT industry continues to rapidly mature and becomes more sophisticated, the hyper-connectivity offered by broadband is a driving force for economic and social development and an enabler of job creation and capacity-building.”
The viewpoint reflects a wider statement made by the World Bank, which estimates that a 10 per cent increase in broadband network penetration leads directly to a 1.3 per cent increase in GDP.
Another member of the forum, Dr Hamadoun Touré, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), added: "In the 21st century, affordable, ubiquitous broadband networks will be as critical to social and economic prosperity as transport, water and power."
The spokesman for the forum concluded that it will take more collaboration between stakeholders in the public and private sectors to facilitate the roll-out of broadband connections in regions that need it for their development.
Telecommunications is set to be a major facilitator of social and economic growth in the developing world, according to the forum members. A report on the forum’s findings added that "national broadband can contribute to efforts in addressing such challenges as poverty, climate change, and an ageing population.”
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