The Broadband Commission for Digital Development, in collaboration with Ericsson has issued a report titled: “Transformational solutions for 2015 and Beyond.” The report looks at several aspects of broadband and its positive effects on people, environment and society while analyzing national broadband plans for 138 countries.
The report goes further in identifying best government practices and urges the private sector to include broadband in their national development agenda.
Ericsson is notable for its forecasts, particularly on mobile broadband connections expected to increase almost four times from 2012 to 2016, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa where the figure may hit over 160 million.
Broadband Internet is improving the lives of people on the continent and facilitates access to economic opportunities and social welfare that were previously inaccessible to the poor. For example, mobile broadband has been driving financial inclusion through mobile banking and mobile money across the continent, and it supports new ways of delivering healthcare in many countries.
In the latest development, the report issues by Broadband Commission in collaboration with Ericsson shall be recognized by Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General.
The Broadband Commission for Digital Development is a joint initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO.
The task force report said that over the next 15 years, broadband’s contribution to sustainable development will only increase in pace with its growth globally.
New research shows how countries around the world use their national broadband plans as key policy instruments to leverage the full potential of broadband as an enabling infrastructure.
The report also contained ten recommendations offered to meet sustainable development goals post 2015.
The task force which delivered the report was led by Hans Vestberg, president and chief executive officer, Ericsson.
The report, entitled: “Transformational solutions for 2015 and Beyond: the report of the Broadband Commission Task force on Sustainable Development” analyzes national broadband plans for 138 countries and identifies best government practices, urges governments to act now and to include broadband in their national development agenda. It also makes a number of supporting recommendations.
Hans Vestberg said: “As the post-2015 sustainable development agenda process evolved, we felt an urgent need to see action. We see so many opportunities for broadband to transform all aspects of society. Technology evolves faster than policy, and we wanted to make a concerted effort to do everything we could to raise awareness of the potential.”
Dr. Hamadoun Touré, secretary general of the ITU, said: “Through this work the Broadband Commission would like to encourage the international community to recognize the need for transformative solutions in the post-2015 development agenda; and this report makes the case. The report presents for the first time new research showing how countries around the world use their national broadband plans as key policy instruments to leverage the full potential of broadband as an enabling infrastructure to accelerate sustainable development; yet there are also many missed opportunities, not least within poverty reduction and food security.”
Among the ten recommendations are “make broadband affordable for all,” and “deploy national development policies and plans to actively drive cross-sector integration of economic and social outcomes deliverable and scalable through ICT and broadband.”
Best practices are highlighted from five countries – Japan, Mexico, the Philippines Rwanda, and Sweden — that have successfully integrated a wide range of development goals into their national broadband plans. The task force credits a spirit of collaborating across all sectors of governments and including the private sector to realize shared aims.