Global broadband cost disparity must be addressed

The International Telecommunication Union has released figues showing some countries are forced to pay over the odds for a broadband connection, affecting the number of subscriptions.

Whilst the survey showed just under 30 per cent of people in the UK had a broadband connection, at a cost of less than one per cent of average monthly income, India had less than one per cent penetration, with a cost of 5.84 per cent.

China only had a 7.7 per cent penetration rate but with a cost of 7.19 per cent of average monthly income, compared to South Korea's 33.8 per cent penetration and 1.41 per cent cost.

The weighted price in emerging markets has led to a very small uptake of subscriptions and, in turn, those who could benefit most from the technology are missing out.

This was the view of Dr Hamadoun Tour, secretary general of the ITU, who is calling on governments around the world to put broadband higher on their agendas.

"Broadband is today's truly transformational technology," he said. "As with the dawn of other inventions that profoundly reshaped our society, most of us are yet to see the tremendous power and potential of these networks."

Tour claimed additional investment and benefits to communities was about much more than just faster web browsing.

"Through e-health, e-education, e-government, smart grids, smart transport systems and much more, broadband will power economic and social progress in the 21st century," he added.

"When we first harnessed electricity, we thought: lighting'. But the advent of the power grid was the tipping point that led to the building of skyscrapers, the rapid rise of large-scale industry, mass mobility, and even through labour-saving home appliances the emancipation of women."

The ITU said 30 countries have now included broadband as an element of their universal access/service definition. This means it has been accepted as a public service, which all citizens have the right to access.