broadband strategies handbook.pdf - Khazar University

CHAPTER 4Extending Universal BroadbandAccess and UseExamples from around the world demonstrate that letting the market workcan go a long way toward achieving widespread broadband access. Mostcountries rely primarily on private sector initiatives and investment toachieve broadband access and use throughout their territories. Yet even inwell-working market environments, some gaps typically remain betweenand within countries. Despite declining costs, some locations will not becommercially viable in the foreseeable future. In places with broadband service,some users will not be able to afford it. Persons with disabilities mayhave difficulty using standard equipment. These are some of the situationswhere market forces alone are not likely to ensure access to broadband.When government steps in to fill these gaps, it goes ahead of or beyond themarket. Achieving broadband access ahead of or beyond the market can beunderstood as achieving “universal broadband access.”An important question for the achievement of universal broadbandaccess relates to the role of governments when market mechanisms alonedo not meet the goals set for broadband access and use. Some degree of governmentintervention may be required to complement the market and overcomeimpediments to universal broadband. However, a distinction shouldbe made between enabling, facilitating, and complementing market developmentsversus substituting government decisions for market forces and155