The session aimed to provide a brief overview of recent activities of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development, including a progress report on e-government indicators. It also looked at the emerging issues to be included in its work agenda to advance ICT measurement.

Payal  presented her research on ICT Statistics in India for Policy Analysis. This research was carried out by Orbicom, UQAM, Montreal and funded by IDRC.

Following an introduction by UNCTAD, the OECD presented progress made in its work on ICT sector statistics. The Network of UNESCO Chairs in Communication (Orbicom) presented the results of its research and training program entitled “Statistical Compilation of the ICT Sector and Policy Analysis” involving researchers and the statistical offices of five developing countries: Brazil, Cameroon, Egypt, India and Malaysia.

Participants were encouraged to engage in an active discussion with the panelists on the role of these statistics in policy making, and what lessons can be drawn with the aim to further develop the ICT sector in particular and national economies in general.

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the extent to which low-income migrant workers in emerging Asia are aware of and are likely to use mobile phones for remitting money to family members at home.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained through a survey of 1,500+ local and overseas migrant workers at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid and subsequent qualitative research in Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Thailand.

Findings – Findings reveal that less than a quarter of respondents in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were aware of such services. However, the Philippines and Thailand reported awareness of levels of over 40 percent. Using a logit model to assess socio-economic characteristics of those aware of such services (versus those who are not), findings revealed those aware of such services tended to enjoy higher standards of living, in terms of both income and education and ownership of mobile phones and bank accounts. Barriers to use are also explored.

Originality/value – This study is likely one of the first of its kind in attempting to empirically estimate socio-economic characteristics of those aware of such services versus those who are not. Such findings can, undoubtedly prove useful to operators in deciding how best to market such services, including addressing potential barriers to use, such as perceived ease of use and trust and reliability issues

The chapter titled “Price transparency in agricultural produce markets: Sri Lanka” covered the results from a year long study of the livelihood impacts for farmers from using a mobile-based price information service called Tradenet. The chapter was co-authored by LIRNEasia researchers Sriganesh Lokanathan, Harsha de Silva and Iran Fernando.

He argues that while it is true that electromagnetic radiation from handsets does pose a potential threat, studies by the Indian government  and the WHO argue that:

to date, no adverse health effects have been established for mobile phone use; that studies are ongoing to assess long-term effects of mobile use; and that there is increased risk of traffic injuries when drivers use mobile phones while driving.

However, we, as responsible consumers, need to take the necessary precautionary measures such as buying safe handsets, among other things.

Click here to read the full article.

While noting that Bangladesh boasts of the some of the lowest tariffs in the world, largely a result of budget telecom network business model, Rohan argued that the government’s vision for a “digital” Bangladesh can only be met “by extending the budget telecom network model to broadband, building wireless access networks capable of handling data cost-effectively, backed up by non-discriminatory, cost-oriented access to backhaul, including redundant capacity, and offering applications that are of value to consumers, giving them reason to use broadband.”

Click here to read the full article in the Daily Star. More coverage will be tracked here in the coming days.

Click here to download the full presentation.

You can see a video of his reactions to the conference HERE

The two-and-a-half day workshop brought together experts from mobile manufacturers, research, digital technology, service providers, donors, non-profit organizations, and policymakers to brainstorm on how mobiles could be effectively used for improving social development in India.

Click here to view her presentation. The conference agenda can be viewed here.

The full press release is available here.

Sriganesh made a presentation on “Price Transparency through ICTs – livelihood impacts for small farmers in Sri Lanka” and Ayesha made a presentation on “CellBazaar: A mobile-based e-marketplace”.

The conference gathered practitioners, academics and researchers working on the full spectrum of issues related to mobile phones, from policy and regulation to applications, use and socio-economic impacts.

The presentation slides can be viewed at the following links:

Price Transparency through ICTs – livelihood impacts for small farmers in Sri Lanka

CellBazaar: A mobile-based e-marketplace

LIRNEasia has been involved in broadband quality of service testing in the Asian region for a while now.  The most recent tests using the AT-tester, a diagnostic tool developed by IIT-Madras and LIRNEasia, were conducted in October 2010.

Rohan argued that delivered speeds with the local domain were above those advertised, the opposite was true in the international domain. Furthermore, broadband services in Asia offer lower value for money than in North America,  likely largely  in part due to high international backhaul costs.

Click here to download the full presentation.

The conference gathered some 60 selected international experts and commission’s staff.

Click here to view presentation.

His presentation examined Korea’s benchmark model of broadband access and adoption, its success factors, and the extent to which it could be replicated in Asia. He contrasted it with Hong Kong’s market-centric approach that had achieved the same results, faster and with less resources.

Click here to view the full presentation.

More on the conference can be found, here.

Click here to download presentation slides.

The guidelines propose a license renewal fee of BDT 10 crore from each operator. An additional fee of BDT 150 crore per MHz of GSM  1800MHz band and CDMA frequency; and/or BDT 300 crore per MHz of GSM 900MHz band from each operator for the initial assignment of spectrum, and a subsequent annual fee is also proposed.

LIRNEasia questions the seemingly arbitrary justification used to set the upfront lump-sum license renewal fees. Furthermore, given the substantial sums involved, the basis on which the additional annual spectrum fees has been proposed (currently based on subscriber numbers) has also been questioned.

The proposed method for issuing licenses and spectrum is contrary to emerging best practices in that the amount charged should reflect the correct economic value of the spectrum and its efficient use via the license. The ‘right price’ is always a convergence of competing interests of demand and supply and to administratively establish the same is extremely difficult. If somehow the amount is ‘wrong’ then it can have long-term negative consequences to all stakeholders; consumers, government and operators leading to sub-optimal use of resources causing high opportunity costs in economic development.

LIRNEasia urges BTRC reconsider their position and opt for a market determined or at the very least, a market-based mechanism.  The need to lay the basis for secondary trading is also highlighted.

Click here to view the full document submitted by Dr de Silva.

We congratulate her and wish her the best in this new position!