broadband strategies handbook.pdf - Khazar University

T able 7.1 Broadband Plans and Policies in Selected South Asian NationsCountryAfghanistanIs the re anationalbroadbandplan?UnderdevelopmentNoDoes universal serviceinclude broadband?Are thereother financingmechanismsforbroadband?TelecommunicationsDevelopmentFundAre there socialtariffs forbroadbandsubscribers?Bangladesh Yes No, but foreseen in the NoNoNational Broadband PolicyBhutan Yes No No NoMaldives No No No Yes, for educationNepalSource: ITU 2010a.UnderdevelopmentYes, in rural areas. Universalservice obligation wasimposed on the incumbentwireline operator andfinanced through theUniversal Service Fund andinterconnection chargesTax exemptionfor telecomequipmentimported forrural servicesNoNoOver the past decade, a large amount of private investment, driven bysector liberalization and competition and major advances in cellular technology,has brought mobile services within reach of the majority of Africa’spopulation. The region’s focus, thus far, on mobile networks to address animmediate service need has heightened the need for development of backbonenetworks capable of supporting broadband. This has created a majorbottleneck in the rollout of high-bandwidth services and in the upgrading ofcellular networks to provide value added services (Williams 2009). Overcomingthis infrastructure hurdle is an important element in shaping thestructure and policy framework of the telecommunications services sector.Without it, broadband will remain expensive and limited to businesses andhigh-income customers. Backbone constraints will also limit access speeds,affecting quality.The backbone deficit has been acutely felt in international bandwidth.Due to limited local content, most Internet traffic is directed at countriesoutside Sub-Saharan Africa. Unfortunately, a lack of international highspeedfiber optic capacity has meant that even where countries have beenGlobal Footprints: Stories from and for the Developing World 313