Vulnerabilities Slow Growth

Published in 2018

GDP growth in the Western Balkans slowed from 3.1 percent in 2016 to an estimated 2.4 percent in 2017. Regional growth in 2017 is less optimistic than the 2.6 percent expected when the Fall issue of this report was published. It slowed in Serbia due to a harsh winter and stalled in FYR Macedonia, where the political crisis deterred both public and private investment. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) grew at a rate like the last two years. The dynamism of the smaller economies of Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro drove regional growth in 2017, with support from higher growth in trading…

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A Glass Half Full: The Promise of Regional Trade in South Asia

Published in 2018

I am delighted to have in my hand a book that asks how we can turn proximity from a burden to an advantage. A Glass Half Full: Th e Promise of Regional Trade in South Asia advocates an approach of open regionalism, using intraregional trade as com- plementary to, and as a stepping stone for, deeper global integration. Th is book, written by Sanjay Kathuria and a team of South Asian researchers, stands out for its eff ort to bring together in a single tome theoretical knowledge and ground realities of trade in South Asia. Th is is a much-needed…

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Maximising availability of international connectivity in the Pacific

Published in 2018

Background The World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) identified that the internation- al connectivity of small island developing states (SIDS) remains key to their economic development and creation of their own information society.1 WCIT-12 instructed that further study be undertaken of the special situation of telecommunication/ICT services in SIDS, with particular consideration being given to the importance of access to international optical fibre networks at reasonable cost. It also undertook to assist SIDS with planning and guidance to promote regional and multilateral projects that will provide them with greater access to international optical fibre networks. The World Telecommunication Development Conference…

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Setting the Scene for 5G: Opportunities & Challenges

Published in 2018

I am pleased to present this report on Setting the Scene for 5G: Opportunities & Challenges, prepared in collaboration with the ITU s Standardization and Radiocommunication Bureaux. The report sets out the landscape for ICT policy-makers, national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and operators as 5G technologies move ever closer. 5G has the potential to be transformative for citizens, businesses, governments and economies. Investment is key but there are many factors to take into account before investments can be committed. This report helps navigate through the issues related to 5G and provides a measured, practical ap- proach to policy-makers looking to make…

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ITU – All About International Mobile Roaming (IMR) 2018

Published in 2018

The collection of IMR data for retail and wholesale services, by National Regulatory Authorities (NRA), remains very complicated considering that this is an international service that is managed, in most cases, by commercial agreements. Cost and tariff information is not easy to obtain nor always available. Regarding IMR retail services prices, most NRAs are collecting information on IMR traditional services such as voice, SMS and data, but not on retail costs. Only 20 countries out of 82 (who answered the survey) have reported to request retail cost information to operators. Data availability and greater transparency illustrate the need for further…

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International mobile roaming strategic guidelines

Published in 2018

The ITU international mobile roaming (IMR) strategic guidelines are part of the ITU Let s Roam the World initiative launched in 2015 by Mr Brahima Sanou, Director of the International Telecommunication Union Development Bureau (ITU-D)1, and have been drafted in collaboration with regional regulatory and other relevant associations. The issue of high international mobile roaming (IMR) service prices at the national, regional and international level is increasingly important, with national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and policy makers looking for appropriate regulatory and policy solutions. Discussions are not only focusing on just voice or data roaming, or on international trade-related principles (e.g.…

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The economic contribution of broadband, digitization and ICT regulation

Published in 2018

The transformative power for economic and social growth of connectivity is empowering people, creating an environment that nurtures innovation, and is triggering positive change in business pro- cesses and in the global economy. In our first study on this topic, The impact of broadband on the economy , launched in 2012, ITU provided initial evidence on the positive economic and social impact of broadband, under lining the importance of data gathering to refine impact measurement. It also explored the policies that have proven to be most successful in stimulating investment in broadband as well as promoting the adop- tion of…

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The APP economy in Africa: economic benefits and regulatory directions

Published in 2018

It is my pleasure to present this ITU report on the app economy in Africa: Economic benefits and regulatory directions prepared by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT). Technological change is one of the most powerful drivers of national economic development. It represents the crystallisation of new knowledge as it is employed to improve the utilisation of all re- sources and to improve human welfare. Governments and Telecommunication/ICT National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) are playing an important role in this new phase of twenty-first century develop- ment of information and communications technology. This report identifies the analytical basis for the various types…

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Estudio de caso: El ecosistema digital y la masificación de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (TIC) en Nicaragua

Published in 2018

El presente trabajo corresponde al Estudio de Caso: El ecosistema digital y la masificación de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones (TIC) en Nicaragua. El objetivo principal de este Estudio es realizar un análisis basado en el desarrollo del ecosistema digital en el país, considerando el entorno regulatorio, la estructura institucional, así como el estatus de desarrollo e implementación de las políticas de telecomunicaciones y los planes de masificación de las TIC en el mismo. El Estudio también tiene por objetivo analizar la experiencia del país y su entorno tecnológico y el uso y aplicabilidad de las TIC…

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Regulatory challenges and opportunities in the new ICT ecosystem

Published in 2018

The new ICT ecosystem has unleashed a virtuous cycle, transforming multiple economic and social activities on its way, opening up new channels of innovation, productivity and communication. The rise of the app economy and the ubiquity of smart mobile devices create great opportuni- ties for users and for companies that can leverage global scale solutions and systems. Technology design deployed by online service providers in particular often reduces transaction costs while allowing for increasing econo- mies of scale. The outlook for both network operators and online service providers is bright as they benefit from the virtuous cycle as the ICT…

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