networks, as well as fixed and mobile wireless services In assessing the current status, it is important to distinguish between the coverage or
Cable tends to enjoy low unit costs in providing broadband services at whatever speed This puts pressure on incumbents to innovate,
technology for providing consumer broadband services over copper telephone lines ARPU Average Revenue per User BW Bandwidth;
current consumer incremental willingness to pay for high bandwidth services is estimated at a mere â 5 per month4 †too little to support so broad a deployment of fibre
Internet applications, services and content benefit by selling services to consumers or by selling advertising to a wide range of firms.
and by 10%in the services sector Thompson and Garbacz21 found that an increase in broadband penetration produces
television, as well as fixed and mobile wireless services â In assessing the current status, it is important to distinguish between the coverage
simultaneously carrying voice, data and video services. In a nutshell, the key elements of a cable network are39 one or more master headend (s)( together with a Network
services for different kinds of conventional and ultra-fast broadband. Since these complex issues are covered at length in many other studies,
TV services to cable network subscribers. As the following figure shows, the key elements of a traditional cable network are (1) headends,
play services is different in fundamental ways. Figure 20 gives an overview of the main
facilities for the provision of television, IP and telephony services; and supra -regional, regional and local physical infrastructures.
services. 60 Where there are multiple headends, they are linked typically via supra -regional backbones based on fibre optics
towards more bandwidth hungry video based services and applications can be expected. Thus, cable systems (and also wireless systems) that share bandwidth among multiple users will continue to be relevant well into the future
Figure 22 makes clear that the frequency spectrum allocated to upstream services (from 5 to 65 MHZ) is usually much smaller than the spectrum allocated to downstream services
from 80 to 862 MHZ. The available downstream frequency spectrum is allocated to the following services
•FM radio services •analogue TV channels •DIGITAL TV channels and Vod services •Euro DOCSIS (and Euro Packet Cable) services
A major revision to the frequency allocation plan would entail significant disruption, but it has been under discussion for some time,
and could be implemented if there were sufficient consumer demand. A number of technical, economic and practical considerations come
into play First, cable operators would be reluctant to lose video channels that they offer today
support 30 to 35 analogue services, hundreds of standard definition TV services, and tens of high definition services
Not usable Signal Pilot Tonesfm Analogue TV DIGITAL TV +Vod Eurodocsis and Europacketcable Eurodocsis and Europacketcable
post offices, or libraries) to electronic communication services rather than universal service in the home; however, we do not believe that Europeans would
â Cable tends to enjoy low unit costs in providing broadband services at whatever speed. This puts pressure on incumbents to innovate,
Cable tends to enjoy low unit costs in providing broadband services at whatever speed This puts pressure on incumbents to innovate,
support structures (e g. helpdesk services) needed to implement smoothly all the necessary learning technologies. Infrastructure is a key enabler of educational innovations
services more efficient; they can also contribute to improving the quality of services and reducing their
cost. Patient information systems, for example, have the ability to track individual health problems and treatment over time, giving insight into optimal diagnosis and treatment of the individual as well
as improving the delivery of services. This is particularly useful for chronic diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases,
and for maternal and child health services where a record of health and treatment over a period of time is required.
services from separate facilities and care providers, some form of electronic record system could compile
Individual health information must follow the patient as s/he receive services from various providers
services or internal processes as well as initial governance established to ensure repetition of earlier successes •Defined:
for data, services and processes, according to the lessons learnt from previous maturity levels Communication standards for interaction with internal and external partners are established
satisfaction with services, improved communication, quality of care, access to data, reduced medical errors, and more efficient use of staff time.
Another area of demonstrated improvement is increased in the coverage of preventive care services such as influenza vaccination, pneumococcal vaccinations and faecal occult blood testing (24
i e. to measure quality of services and outcomes and use this to introduce changes 2 4 mhealth
The use of mobile technologies for data collection about individuals and interactive information services are a part of a growing area of ehealth called mhealth.
in the delivery of services suggested. Timely, accurate, and representative data from local facilities is
health services to adopt electronic patient records Figure 13. Individual patient data collected at the national level, globally
adopted at higher rates than others are health call centres and emergency call services. In addition mobile telemedicine shows a high proportion of informal and pilot implementations.
improve monitoring and evaluation of health services. It provides a framework which presents a selection
In health they can also refer to procedures for collecting information, providing services, or working with development partners.
services including patient information systems. It calls on governments to form national ehealth bodies to provide guidance in policy and strategy, data security, legal and
detailed elements of strategy development and ehealth services planning including advice on patient information systems It is worth noting that WHO
the quality and efficiency of health services. They provide better information on which to make decisions
the free movement of people, goods, services and capital The Commission regularly updates its Single Market strategy in order to eliminate
Public Procurement is the purchase of goods, work or services by a government or a public agency
The demand for environmentally friendly products and services opens the way for new business oppor
•Directive on reduced VAT rates for labour-intensive services •Revision of the-already existing-Late Payments Directive
information and other services provided The †Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programmeâ€, primarily directed towards SMES, targets
services http://ec. europa. eu/information society/activities/ict psp/participating/index en. htm http://ec. europa. eu/information society/activities/ict psp/contacts/index en. htm
services i e. universities or research centres. The results of the research activities belong to the SME or
and access to transport and telecommunications services of general economic interest http://ec. europa. eu/regional policy/thefunds/regional/index en. cfm
to a civilian purpose and aims at developing only new products, processes or services. To participate in a
This is a portal comprising of more than 850 advisers providing information, advice and services such as job matching of job seekers and employers
http://www. cen. eu/cen/Services/SMEHELPDESK/Pages/default. aspx These helpdesks at European and national level are specialised in providing information and advice on
EU information and assistance services http://ec. europa. eu/publications/booklets/others/83/index en. htm
Ireland/IDA Technology Centres providing extensive services in the Region. This Strategy builds on these existing research and innovation structures to promote collaboration and innovation as a
•Energy and Environmental Products and Services This Strategy sets out a series of actions relating to required future research, collaboration with
supports and services 8 Implementation & Monitoring This Strategy sets out a clear process for implementation and monitoring.
diversifi cation of the knowledge-based economy into technologies, products and services that are closely related, thereby ensuring maximum benefi t from future investments in the Region
services that have been produced, less the cost of all inputs and raw materials that are directly attributable to that production.
%of the cost of research work to develop new and improved products, processes or services, or
& Services 38 7 2 2 8 57 Industrial & Life sciences 12 2 1 4 7 26
and research services required by the UL Graduate Medical School. The newly established Synthesis & Solid State
services which help to promote a culture of innovation in the Midwest 31 Research & Innovation Strategy for the Midwest Region of Ireland 2014-2018
They will offer a high quality and better-integrated set of services to students, businesses and
They deliver services and supports to micro and small business sectors on behalf of Enterprise Ireland 4. 4. 5 Chambers Ireland
services that are available to them. Regionally they work to provide networking opportunities and business information events and they also work with key influencers and decision-makers on behalf
In addition to the research and innovation supports and services currently offered by the Higher Education Institutes and State Agencies in the Region, there is also an extensive network of
centre provides traditional offi ce rental, personalised reception services, virtual offi ce support, administration support and many other tailored business solutions to support
products and services that are closely related to existing dominant technologies and the regional skills base.
Services Figure 5. 1 Identifi ed Industries for Smart Specialisation in the Midwest Region 5. 1. 3 Identifying Regional Priorities
Services Table 5. 1 Types of Business Collaboration It is important to differentiate between smart specialisation and the development of a cluster
New Frontiers, LEAP and TESS all provide vital services to support business development in the
to help innovators to market their goods and services. Incubator space is also important but must
be complemented by business support services to ensure that use of the space is proactively assisting business development and expansion
the existing supports and services that are available and to remove barriers that may be resulting in a low level of take-up of these support options
towards innovation activities for new products and services. Going forward, and having regard to revised regional governance structures, it is essential that local authorities play a stronger role
•Internationally Traded Services-building on emerging growth opportunities •Logistics and Supply Chain Management-taking advantage of infrastructures and local skills
•Energy and Environmental products and services-based on natural assets and R&d capabilities •Tourism-based on historic strength, existing infrastructure and natural and cultural amenities
•Business and Professional Services •Tourism, Sport & Leisure •Secure investment in emerging sectors New Enterprise Growth
ICT services, in accordance with internationally agreed methodologies. Its core feature is the ICT Development Index (IDI),
services continue to decrease globally, in most developing countries the cost of a fixed-broadband
services. The report finds that the price of ICT services falls with better market regulation and increased
competition. For example, in developing countries, fixed-broadband prices could be reduced by 10 per cent and mobile-cellular prices by 5 per cent if competition and/or the regulatory framework
can lay the foundations for affordable fixed-broadband services In this fast-changing digital era, one of the key challenges in measuring the information society is
potentials in view of the widespread use and availability of mobile networks and services. This report provides the reader with a comprehensive and critical overview of the role of big data from the
1. 21 E-government services provided by countries (transactional services, left, and e-participation services, right...
20 1. 22 Proportion of schools with Internet access (total and fixed-broadband), 2012 or latest
4. 11 Availability of mobile-broadband services by type of service, by level of development
4. 1 Mobile-broadband services by type of device/plan...125 4. 2 Relationship between regulation, competition and prices...
-broadband services provide a response to the demand for high-speed Internet access in view of the lack of affordable fixed-broadband
services, whereas in the developed world both fixed-and mobile-broadband uptake is growing continuously
Internet services and the higher levels of skills required to make effective use of online content
and services, while the opposite is often the case in rural and remote areas of many developing
and services, covering the fixed and mobile (voice and data) market segments, and considering both
has access to mobile communication services Closer examination and disaggregation of the data reveal, however, that digital divides still exist
affordable mobile-phone services in rural areas Further research and data would be necessary to determine people†s access to,
for example, no mobile-broadband services are available, but fixed-wireless and satellite services are offered. In Saudi arabia, 30 per cent of all
wireless-broadband subscriptions are fixed -wireless and satellite subscriptions Mobile broadband remains the fastest growing market segment, with continuous double-digit
few years. 4g4 services came onto the market only recently and 4g subscriptions still account
-broadband infrastructure and services were available much earlier than in most developing countries, and before fast mobile-broadband
services and smartphones entered the market This has contributed to the higher uptake of fixed broadband in developed countries.
service offerings, mobile-broadband services are increasingly becoming an alternative to fixed broadband, and indeed the preferred
data based on ITU and Telecom Advisory Services calculations more and more countries upgrade their mobile networks. As mentioned earlier, 2g population
+technologies and services, and given the strong growth in mobile-broadband subscriptions. At the same time, the issue of spectrum allocation
services through high-speed networks. While fibre transmission networks constitute an essential infrastructure that has to be available in
limited and affordable services are much less available in rural areas, thus preventing rural households from purchasing Internet services
At the same time, the benefits brought by ICTS and the Internet are especially impactful in rural areas, which often also lack access to other
telecommunication services. In addition to the adverse economic context, the voice market in developed countries is declining or reaching
telecommunication infrastructure and services has been more stable, with a smaller drop in 2008(-4 per cent) and moderate growth in the
telecommunication services, USD 17 were reinvested in capital expenditure (i e. in upgrading the fixed assets needed to extend
and improve telecommunication services. The investment-to-revenue ratio was somewhat lower in developed countries (15 per cent) than
affordable services, people are more likely to use the Internet at locations outside the home, such
-filesharing site with services in 61 countries. As of early 2014, Youtube boasted more than 1â billion
quality broadband services, however, is especially important to the business sector, in the same way as other basic infrastructure and services
necessary to run a successful business E-government Not only are government entities major users of
the Internet to provide services to their citizens E-government contributes to increased efficiency and greater transparency and accountability in
services provided online, tracked by the United Nations through its E-government Survey, which is carried out every two years.
When it comes to the provision of e-services the results from the latest UN survey show that
and services on government website portals increased threefold, with 70 per cent of countries providing a one-stop shop portal in 2012, as
transactional services and e-participation services (Chart 1. 21. Despite the major progress made, disparities remain in the use of ICTS in
government across countries. As illustrated in Chart 1. 20, Europe tops the E-government Development Index, followed by The americas
E-government services provided by countries (transactional services, left, and e-participation services, right Source:
UNDESA. Data from United nations E-government Survey (2014 101 73 60 46 44 42 41
Transactional services are advanced relatively services that are increasingly being provided by governments. For example, income-tax forms can be submitted online in 73 countries
registering a business can be carried out online in 60 countries, and people can apply for birth
to transactional services and e-participation services (Chart 1. 21. While, globally, around 20 per cent of countries provided information to
their citizens on national e-participation policies in 2013, in Europe the proportion was nearer to
growth of mobile-broadband services, it may be expected that more and more schools will have broadband access in the near future and that the
information, knowledge and key services. In this context, ITU members are discussing a set of global ICT goals and targets to be achieved
Broadband services should cost no more than 5%of average monthly income in developing countries by 2020
Worldwide, 90%of the rural population should be covered by broadband services by 2020c Target 2. 5. A:
acost of ICT services to be 60 per cent of the 2012 value. bexisting and additional targets for Goal 2 are being reviewed and adjusted, based on
15 For instance, the average revenue per user per month for GSM services in India was less than USD 2 in March 2012, almost
have access to ICT equipment or services the equipment/service should generally be available for use by all members of
mobile-cellular services. While the number of countries that collect this information is increasing steadily, still only 42 countries
by wireless-broadband services. There is an obligation for the licensees to ensure that by 2015 users in areas with the lowest speeds will
Korea was the first country to offer 3g services commercially in 2002, and LTE was offered first
wireless services to improving quality and speed In July 2013, SK TELECOM launched the â€oeworld`s
instance, mobile-broadband services were only commercialized in mid-2013 in Burkina faso, 21 which is among the most dynamic countries
services were launched only in December 2011 and by 2013 operator CVMOVEL had expanded 3g services to all the islands of the archipelago. 23
Bhutan is one of the most dynamic countries in the use sub-index, moving up eight places.
-broadband services were introduced as early as 2008 by state-owned operator Bhutan Telecom under its B-Mobile brand), major developments
expanded its 3g services, which had been limited to the nation†s capital Thimphu, to 15 out of 20
launched its high-speed 4g services in Thimphu Chart 2. 3: Wireless-broadband penetration Bhutan, 2008-2013
services by the country†s only private-owned operator Tashi Cell in late 2013 has helped
access to wireless-broadband services, uptake is ascribed also to the growing popularity of social media and increased availability of
to make services faster, more affordable and more secure. One of the core projects of the Qatar National Broadband Network
52 per cent for wireless-broadband services by end 2013. This is one of the highest wireless
of mobile-broadband services was spurred by heated competition among operators offering subsidized smartphones and promotions on
extended their wireless infrastructure and services throughout Thailand, and are planning to provide further network updates. 36
-broadband services in particular is still relatively limited. On average, fixed-broadband penetration reached 6 per cent in developing countries by end
value following the introduction of 3g services in 2012/2013, there were still a few countries that
had launched not services by end 2013. In 2014 close to 4. 3 billion people, most of them living in
Basic voice services are more widely available although LCCS like Eritrea (6 per cent), Myanmar (13 per cent) and
services, as well as the skills to make effective use of ICTS. This applies in particular to most LCCS
education, government and health services, and empower people by providing a platform for communication, the impacts of which are more
also means access to information and services that may have previously been unavailable especially to people living in rural and remote
complement and facilitate those essential services through the monitoring of maternal health, for example, via SMS and by providing information
A similar principle has been adopted for ICT equipment and services, i e. they should be available for use by
17 Ofcom and the European union define superfast services as those delivering download speeds of 30 Mbit/s or more
-broadband services in 2013 (see Chartâ 3. 5 However, there is some room for optimism as 3g licences were awarded finally to three
mobile-broadband services in the lower-income countries are much less affordable than in the
broadband) services are much more popular in the region. The majority of Arab States have a
region to launch 3g services in 2007.21 Since then, operators have expanded their mobile -broadband networks beyond the main cities
services were launched in the Russian Federation in 2012.22 The highest growth in wireless -broadband penetration from 2012 to 2013 took
Wireless-broadband services are available in every European country, and the large majority of countries have a penetration rate of more than
operator launched its 3g services in early 2013 increasing competition in the market. 25 Operators
LTE services to customers. The top five countries in the world in terms of fixed-broadband penetration (Monaco, Switzerland, Denmark
-broadband services still not available in 2013 and a fixed-broadband penetration of less than 1 per
LTE services were first launched in the country in early 2013.28 Antigua and Barbuda (from 23 per cent to 49 per cent
their wireless-broadband networks, services were still not available in Cuba, Dominica, Guyana and St vincent and the Grenadines by end 2013
28 http://www. rcrwireless. com/article/20121214/carriers/claro-first-launch-lte-services-brazil /Endnotes
The price of ICT services constitutes a determining factor for ICT uptake and, as such, continues to be a
services, and its impact goes beyond access, also influencing usage: over half of EU citizens limit their
fixed-broadband services. Since 2012, the data collection has been extended to include mobile -broadband prices. These data have proved to be
factors may help in making ICT services more affordable and thus increase ICT access and use
mass uptake of mobile-cellular services observed in the developing world in the last decade;
services. It will first look at prices in the voice market and their evolution in the period 2008
Then, the affordability of ICT services will be analysed in the light of household income inequalities, thereby quantifying how far low
mobile-cellular and fixed-broadband services as well as the general IPB ranking combining the three sub-baskets expressed in terms of GNI per
the most ubiquitous ICT services, overtaking historical ICTS such as radio and television broadcasting in many countries.
that mobile-broadband services are likewise less available than mobile voice and SMS (see Chapter 1). Subscription figures confirm this
Such a ubiquitous uptake of voice services would not have been possible without affordable prices Chart 4. 1 shows the evolution of fixed-telephone
such different services, the results roughly confirm that fixed-telephone and mobile-cellular prices are the cheapest among ICT services
suggesting that low prices have contributed to the widespread adoption of traditional voice and SMS services
Fixed-telephone prices have followed an almost flat evolution, with a small decrease in prices observed during the period in developing
and mobile-cellular services from a demand-side perspective (Chart 4. 2 From this perspective, voice services are less
affordable in developing countries than in developed countries. By end 2013, a basic fixed-telephone service cost on average 1. 0 per
ADSL services. Since ADSL is currently the predominant fixed-broadband technology, 9 it is thus relevant to track the cost of fixed-line
mobile-cellular services still cost more than 5 per cent of GNI p. c. in 2013.
mobile-cellular services remains a major barrier to further adoption in several African countries of the 20 countries with the least affordable
Mobile-cellular services are very affordable in most developed countries, corresponding to less than 2 per cent of GNI p. c. in the majority of
8. 1 per cent), where mobile-cellular services are the least affordable in the developed world.
uptake of mobile-cellular services in these countries, and therefore requires regulatory and policy attention
reliable Internet services. Despite the growth of mobile-broadband subscriptions, less than 3 per cent of global IP traffic corresponded to mobile
with entry-level fixed-broadband services costing more than USD 100) saw little improvement in prices in 2013.
broadband bundled with other services. This is in line with the findings on bundle adoption from
-broadband services, the average price for an entry-level fixed-broadband plan still represented Chart 4. 4:
â€oeby 2015, entry-level broadband services should be made affordable in developing countries through adequate regulation and market forces
can subscribe to FTTH services, thus benefiting from Internet access at high speeds (50 Mbit/s for as little as USD 19.9 in addition to the cost of
entry-level fixed-broadband services is the Commonwealth of independent states, with an average price corresponding to 3. 8 per cent
services are less affordable. The relatively high prices in Moldova are explained by the characteristics of the fixed-broadband plan
promotions for ADSL services with some of the most advantageous prices in the region USD 6. 1, by far the cheapest price offered by
services in Kuwait Mauritania is the Arab country where entry-level fixed-broadband prices are the least affordable
-broadband services would need to target both the supply and the demand sides (Box 4. 1
affordable entry-level fixed-broadband services in the region (0. 7 of GNI p. c),
Unaffordable fixed-broadband services in Mauritania are the result of factors on both the supply and the demand side
public policies to support demand for fixed-broadband services could lead to wider adoption and thus give a positive signal to
services, including prepaid plans, starting at USD 10.9 for unlimited monthly usage, the cheapest prices in USD in The americas together
-broadband services in these countries cost more than in the United states, despite the difference in income.
subscriptions are priced still as premium services with similar tariffs as leased lines. As a result dial-up (narrowband) Internet remains the de
in broadband services. This would contribute to opening up fixed-broadband markets to competition in Africa,
Mobile-broadband services by type of device/plan Source: ITU Mobile broadband Handset-based Computer-based
of mobile-broadband services, particularly for postpaid plans where it is sometimes cheaper to buy a package including Internet, voice and SMS
cost) for mobile-broadband services based on high-speed networks. These plans are often labelled as †4gâ€
-cellular services, for which prepaid plans are most popular in the developing world. Globally the mobile-broadband service available in the
modalities of mobile-broadband services are offered In view of the dynamics of the mobile -broadband market, this section will focus on
Availability of mobile-broadband services by type of service, by level of development, 2013 and 2012
services, because operators will usually offer lower prices to customers who subscribe to a monthly service,
computer-based mobile-broadband services the prices for postpaid and prepaid handset -based mobile-broadband plans were similar
of USD, mobile-broadband services cost almost the same on average in developed and developing countries (Chart 4. 13.
to streamline their mobile-broadband services and offer cheaper prices. Indeed, operating costs should be lower in developing countries and, if
and mobile-cellular services. 26 The fact that this is not fully happening for fixed-and mobile
-broadband services may be explained by the early stage of development of these services in the developing world.
Operators are in the process of rolling out new infrastructure and most markets have not yet grown enough to allow operators to
Computer-based services with a monthly allowance of 1 GB are about six times more affordable in developed countries, on average
-price mobile-broadband services priced per connection or per 15 minutes; Orange CÃ'te d†Ivoire also offers discount plans priced per hour
the other regions, mobile-broadband services will have to become more affordable in Africa so that most applications enabled by a broadband
less than 2 per cent of GNI p. c. for all services At the other end of the scale, Asia and the
all services except prepaid handset-based (500 MB In the Arab States and the CIS, handset-based
based mobile-broadband services. The americas region also has average prices corresponding to slightly more than 5 per cent of GNI p. c.,prepaid
that these services target high-end customers rather than the average user. Postpaid mobile -broadband dongles include much lower monthly
fixed-broadband services are unaffordable for a majority of the population Chart 4. 16 shows a comparison of prices for
fixed-broadband services: both are postpaid are based computer and include a monthly data allowance of at least 1 GB.
for broadband services is achieved, thanks to affordable mobile-broadband plans. In the Solomon islands, Timor-Leste and Vanuatu
services There are four countries in The americas that attain the 5 per cent affordability target by virtue
This reflects the early launch of 3g services in Europe28 and the maturity achieved in the mobile
mobile-broadband services (Tables 4. 5 to 4. 8 4. 4 Income inequality and broadband prices
The affordability of ICT services depends as much on the price of the service itself as on
capita, thus showing how much ICT services cost relative to the economic value generated by each country.
ICT services, other variables such as household disposable income need to be considered Measurement efforts related to tracking the
services for a number of countries for which data on the distribution of household income
and use of, broadband services Household disposable income and GNI are two fundamentally different economic indicators
of broadband services for households from different economic levels Chart 4. 17 shows the household income and
services between these two countries, and even larger differences within each country. In Chart 4. 18, the affordability of a fixed-broadband plan
fixed-broadband services within a country, and between countries with similar fixed-broadband prices expressed as a percentage of GNI p. c
of residential fixed-broadband services. As an example, Chart 4. 19 shows that the price of an
fixed-broadband services among low and middle-income households, since price may still be a barrier for many households
the affordability of mobile-broadband services Table 4. 11 and Table 4. 12 show the price of
four mobile-broadband services for which ITU collects price data (Chart 4. 13), and is currently the
Handset-based mobile-broadband services are affordable for the large majority of the population in all developed countries except
handset-based mobile-broadband services for low-and middle-income households is holding back mobile-broadband adoption in the country
mobile-broadband services differs considerably across developing countries and within some developing countries because of income
services in countries such as Ecuador, El salvador Honduras and Paraguay corresponds to less than 1. 5 per cent of household disposable income
-based mobile-broadband services are affordable for almost the entire population. This suggests that neither handset-based mobile-broadband
-broadband services are affordable for most of the population, mobile broadband may help to connect the 20-30 per cent of households with
-broadband services is made on the basis of the cost of one handset-based mobile-broadband
broadband services: although they represent less than 5 per cent of the equivalized household expenditure for half of the inhabitants in the
-broadband services, but in some cases also determines whether individuals can afford their own subscription or have to share a subscription
-broadband services across developing countries and income inequality similar differences within countries. Thus, mobile-broadband usage
depends on access to ICT services and the use that is made of them (see Figure 2. 1). In turn
a large extent by the affordability of ICT services Therefore, the ultimate goal of policy and regulatory
sustainable reduction in the prices of ICT services and in many cases this is achieved through
fixed-broadband services. Among all ICT services mobile cellular and fixed broadband have been selected for the analysis because of the availability
of comprehensive data series on the prices for these two services, which makes it possible to study
the impact of different factors on prices across countries and time There is an extensive body of literature looking
telecommunication services and the privatization of incumbent operators. In parallel, national regulators have been created to establish a
competition in telecommunication services at the country level From the literature on cross-national institutional
services. Chart 4. 21 shows the evolution of average entry-level fixed-broadband prices and competition.
and thus made services more affordable even if prices have been kept constant. Other factors, such as demographic changes, migrations or exchange-rate fluctuations
of fixed-broadband and mobile-cellular services In order to take into account all these factors, the following section presents an econometric model
-cellular and fixed-broadband services. The regulatory environment in each country is assessed based on the ITU ICT Regulatory Tracker
mobile-cellular and fixed-broadband services Choice of the model The analysis was conducted through econometric modelling using panel regressions
services are modelled as two separate variables as they follow distinctly separate patterns †fixed broadband has generally become subject
to competition much later than mobile services and penetration levels are significantly lower for fixed broadband, especially in the developing
telecommunication services vary with levels of economic development Therefore, gross national income per capita (GNI p. c is included in the model
competition in fixed-broadband services. Indeed if the fixed-broadband market were liberalized in these countries and a second operator achieved
affordable fixed-broadband services For instance, a country with a separate telecommunication/ICT regulator that has
when benchmarking prices of ICT services internationally, rather than as an area of direct policy action
services. The 10 per cent of countries with the lowest regulatory value are all (except one) from
prices for mobile-cellular services: a 5 per cent increase in the percentage of the population
services. This suggests that economic levels are less of a determinant, probably because prices were already low enough in 2008 (for a lower
smaller than in fixed-broadband services, 56 this finding highlights the importance of competition as a driver for lower prices in mobile-cellular
services, whereas in fixed-broadband markets stronger regulatory action may be needed because essential facilities †such as the local
exchanged into national currency at market exchange rates) can buy more products or services. Therefore, the ICT service
4 Voice over internet services, such as Skype or Voipbuster, are excluded from the analysis in this section because they require
They are considered under broadband services 5 Source: Census of India 2011. Mode of communication 2001-2011.
comparison with the other telecommunication services. Therefore, the average for handset-based mobile-broadband prices
because fixed-broadband services in the island are only available to business customers, the only Internet access available to residential customers being dial-up
17 For a map of the availability of Qualitynet fixed-broadband services, see http://www. qualitynet. net/map/qnetmap. htm
25 Data for mobile-broadband services have been collected since 2012 through the ITU ICT Price Basket Questionnaire,
Regarding mobile services, see for instance Gruber and Verboven (2001), Grzybowski (2005) and Koski and Kretschmer (2005
telecommunication networks and services there are significant data gaps when it comes to understanding the development of the
out new services, among other things for the purpose of pricing. Telecom operators also use
Big data from the ICT services industry are already helping to produce large-scale development insights of relevance to public
services, non-Internet-related mobile -network big data seems to have the widest socioeconomic coverage in the near term
information that mobile networks and services generate Telecommunication data The mobile telecommunication data that operators possess can be classified into different
time and duration of services used and the technology used, for example, for the mobile network (2g, 3g, etc..
telecommunication services come with an international mobile station equipment identity IMEI) number, operators can identify some
include a history of the services accessed, service option preferences as well as other details (as referred to in Chapter 5 Annex
services, from which information on a customer†s usage patterns and preferences can be extracted The information outlined above is used at the
the uptake of different services and on their business performance and revenues (Box 5. 3
of particular services, identify market shares and monitor their business performance, as well as for reporting purposes.
VAS, and level of use of different OTT services. These data can be reported as averages (over time or for different categories of
in order to improve existing services and create new ones. For operators, big data open up opportunities for better understanding of their
OTT services. DPI can also be used to categorize interests based on sites visited (as opposed to content accessed
consumption of different services including on the basis of spending (often in relation to other services), types of
device used, frequency of change of handset, and so on •Likelihood of churn: The churn rate is a
additional, customized services. This often calls for an understanding of the level of influence of each subscriber†s social
be leveraged for location-based services Sophisticated customer profiling enables operators to personalize and market new services
more effectively. For example, by understanding their customers†relationships to their social networks (and their relative importance within
of services and create targeted promotions Furthermore, social network insights can be used by an operator to market its services to
the off-network contacts that are connected to its customers, or to reduce churn rates. In
popular OTT services New business lines To increase revenue streams, operators may also seek to monetize the data they hold.
or using value-added services are all examples of interactions for which the time, location device, user and other detailed information
management of transportation services, thereby reducing congestion (Berlingerio et al. 2013). ) By simply extending one bus route
Operators may offer such specialized services based on passive or active location data) either directly, or by providing data to third parties.
and of the use of mobile services in rural versus urban areas. It would thus be possible to gain a
understand the utilization of services †including voice, data and VAS †over time, and the intensity
services to provide additional insights. This could be done by using probabilistic analyses to match the profiles developed using data from online
services with customer profiles generated from analyses of mobile-operator data. This would require telecommunication operators, OTT
on the use of different services and applications intensity, frequency, and the geographic 195 Measuring the Information Society Report 2014
services and applications. All of these insights on subscribers could potentially be further disaggregated by different demographic
cases be using ICT services from more than one operator or device, additional techniques need to be leveraged if the insights articulated
cloud-based services. But as storage prices continue to fall, they are expected to be less of
techniques when rolling out new services or, for that matter, for pricing purposes. The question
providing location-based services. The large-scale capture of such higher-resolution data is undertaken mainly by operators
through data-mediation services, but these are not universally implemented Passive location data from the billing records are obviously
telecommunication services come with an international mobile station equipment identity IMEI) number. This 15 or 16 digit number is
telecommunication services. In addition to serving as a unique serial number for the handset, parts of it can reveal information
when services were activated and/or deactivated specific service option preferences and the current account status, current international
billing records for their current and past services This information, which associates a customer with his/her usage patterns and history, is
Taking into account the increasing trend towards the bundling of telecommunication services (e g double-and triple-play offers), revenue figures disaggregated per service are in most cases not comparable across operators
CGALIES (2002), Report on implementation issues related to access to location information by emergency services (E112) in the
European union, Coordination group on access to Location Information for Emergency Services. European commission DG information society
Gruber, H. and Verboven, F. 2001), The diffusion of mobile telecommunication services in the European union.
wire, voice services using Internet Protocol IP) delivered over fixed (wired)- broadband infrastructure (e g. DSL, fibre optic), and voice
services provided over coaxial-cable television networks (cable modem. It also includes fixed wireless local loop (WLL) connections, which
are defined as services provided by licensed fixed-line telephone operators that provide last-mile access to the subscriber using radio
public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services 3. International Internet bandwidth (bit/s) per
Internet user International Internet bandwidth refers to the total used capacity of international Internet bandwidth, in megabits per second (Mbit/s
of communication services, including the World wide web, and carries e-mail, news entertainment and data files, irrespective of the
services (over a mobile network) that allow access to the greater Internet and which are purchased separately from
voice services, either as a standalone service (e g. using a data card such as a USB modem/dongle) or as an add-on data
package to voice services which requires an additional subscription. All dedicated mobile-broadband subscriptions with
With convergence, operators are increasingly providing multiple (bundled) services, such as voice telephony, Internet access and television reception, over their networks.
then the additional services that are included in the price are specified in a note Source: ITU
9. With convergence, operators are increasingly providing multiple (bundled) services such as voice telephony, Internet access and
then the additional services that are included in the price plan should be specified in a note
if it can be used for other services as well. If a monthly rental for the physical
covering prepaid and postpaid services, and supported by different devices (handset and computer), mobile-broadband prices were
7. Prices should be collected for prepaid and postpaid services, for both handset and computer-based plans.
Preference should be given to packages that are bundled not (with voice services, for example. If the plan chosen includes other
services besides mobile-broadband access, these should be specified in a note 15. Prices refer to a regular (non-promotional) plan
revision, EGTI agreed that ITU should collect prepaid and postpaid prices, for both handset-and computer†based services
or equal to, 512 Kbps. 15) Rightel (Tamin Telecom) has been given license to operate 3g services and started
services from February 2011 (http://www. rightel. ir/./Data refer to the sum of fixed wireless broadband and active mobile
mobile subscriptions using data services 2. Dedicated data subscriptions 3. Add on data packages. 20) Based on 2013q3
sample of operators than annual report. 26) Wireless Broadband services are not being offered in St vincent as yet.
anticipate that Mobile broadband and terrestrial fixed broadband services would be in place by the end of 2014.27) OFCOM
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