broadband strategies handbook.pdf - Khazar University

2009). Results of the study were issued in the report “Broadband for CentralAsia and the Road Ahead,” which included the findings that these countrieshave low Internet access speeds coupled with high costs to consumers forbroadband services, which has affected adoption (ESCAP 2009). As such,ESCAP recommended that expansion of a regional broadband network is “afundamental element” to satisfying broadband demand in these countries.Turkey’s government recognizes the importance of a vibrant telecommunicationsmarket and is keen to promote the spread of broadband. Forinstance, many educational institutions now have broadband access. TheInformation Society Strategy for 2006–10 aimed to develop regulation foreffective competition and to expand broadband access. Targets includedextending broadband coverage to 95 percent of the population by 2010 andreducing tariffs to 2 percent of per capita income. The regulator has alsolooked at issuing licenses for the operation of broadband fixed wirelessaccess networks in the 2.4 gigahertz (GHz) and 3.5 GHz bands. The case ofTurkey is highlighted in a case study later in this chapter.Latin America and the CaribbeanThe Latin America and the Caribbean region has a relatively high numberof wireline telephone lines and CATV subscribers compared to otherdeveloping regions. Cable broadband has been particularly successful,with over half of the subscribers having a broadband subscription. In contrast,the number of telephone lines being used for broadband (via DSL) isrelatively low.Mobile broadband development initially lagged compared to otherregions. One factor related to delays in the award of new spectrum bandsused specifically for 3G services. However, this was mitigated somewhat bypolicies throughout the region that allow operators to use their existing850/900 megahertz (MHz) spectrum, originally allocated for voice, forhigh-speed mobile data services. Compared to the typical frequenciesawarded in many countries for mobile broadband, these frequencies supportwider coverage with fewer base stations so that investment costs arelower (Roetter 2009).On the demand side, Latin America and the Caribbean fares favorablycompared to other developing regions. Education levels are relatively high,and the existence of common languages throughout many countries—Spanish in Latin America and English in much of the Caribbean—results inaccess to considerable content, spurring demand. Despite relatively highper capita income for a developing region, incomes are highly skewed,and affordability remains an issue. For example, over half of Mexican308 Broadband Strategies Handbook