Tag Archive for ‘broadband access’ at LIRNEasia

Tag Archive for 'broadband access'

Call for Papers: Infrastructure Regulation: What works, Why, and How do we know?
Deadline: 05 December 2008.

IBM to bring broadband over power line to rural America

on November 13, 2008

IBM has been hired to help rural Americans get broadband access using power lines.

On Wednesday, Big Blue announced it has signed a $9.6 million contract with International Broadband Electric Communications to bring the technology to rural America where it hopes to deliver high-speed broadband connectivity to millions of people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to get it. IBM and IBEC, which will build and manage the networks, are working with over a dozen electricity cooperatives in seven states, The Wall Street Journal reported.

For years, people have hoped broadband-over-power line technology, or BPL, would allow power companies to become the third alternative in the broadband market, competing against cable operators and telephone companies. But technical limitations and interference issues with local emergency radios and short-wave ham…

1 Comment
Tags: America, Big Blue, BPL technology, Broadband, broadband access, broadband-over-power line technology, dozen electricity cooperatives, DSL, HIGH-speed Internet access, I.B.M., International Broadband Electric Communications, International Business Machines Corporation, Partnership, telephone, The Wall Street Journal, USD.

Mobile broadband to soar in Asia: GSMA

Chanuka Wattegama

on November 11, 2008

The number of subscribers to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) services - a technology that enables broadband access on mobile phones and other computing devices - will more than double next year in Asia, according to a forecast by telco industry group GSM Association (GSMA).

In an interview with BizIT, Jaikishan Rajaraman, GSMA director of product and service development, said the number of users in Asia subscribing to HSPA will swell from 26.5 million to 53.5 million over the next 12 months. Fuelling this trend are soaring demand from both businesses and consumers, coupled with falling prices of mobile broadband services, he said. This trend is expected to be mirrored in other parts of the world, including Europe and the US.

In August, GSMA - a global…

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Tags: Asia, Australia, Broadband, broadband access, cellular telephone, Europe, GSM Association, Indonesia, Jaikishan Rajaraman, Japan, Malaysia, mobile broadband services, mobile phones, South Korea, Sri Lanka, telco industry group, United States.

Not having broadband could cost some households a fortune

Chanuka Wattegama

on September 19, 2008

According to a recent report households that do not have broadband access could be spending a fortune on other household goods and services.

Over recent years an increasing number of consumers have started to use the Internet to find the best deals on everything from holidays and cars to household goods, entertainment, finance, services, and more. The increased Internet access that has come about as a result of more and more people getting onto broadband connections has meant that consumers have been able to scour the web to get the best deals, thus saving money on other products and services.

A recent report from the Post Office service has suggested that homes that do not have broadband access and therefore are not able to get online to…

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Tags: Broadband, broadband access, finance, increased Internet access, Post Office.

Net Neutrality debate: No free lunches, so why ‘FREE BROADBAND’?

Chanuka Wattegama

on September 7, 2008

We pay for other utilities (electricity, water, phone services) by the amount utilised, but usually a flat rate for broadband depending upon the bandwidth. I have earlier compared this to paying for water based on the diameter of the pipe, instead of liters consumed.

The following letter by a reader to USA Today highlights similar concerns - may be in another context.

WHY SHOULD BROADBAND BE FREE?

James Lakely - Chicago

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin’s reference to the phone industry exposes the weakness of his argument to provide free broadband access in the USA.

Yes, copper phone lines were, for decades, “the main means of communication for millions of Americans.” But the government didn’t invent that technology, nor give it away for free. The market provided, and…

12 Comments
Tags: Broadband, broadband access, Chicago, electricity, Federal Communications Commission, James Lakely, Kevin Martin, net neutrality, phone services, United States, USA Today.

Asia-Pacific region leads high-speed Broadband connectivity, but wide divide prevails, says ITU

Chanuka Wattegama

on September 3, 2008

While some Asia-Pacific economies are world leaders in information and communication technologies (ICT) where broadband access is ultra-high speed, affordable and close to ubiquitous, in most of the region’s poorer countries Internet access remains limited and predominantly low-speed.

This is what ITU’s Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Report for the Asia-Pacific region 2008 says. It was released at ITU TELECOM ASIA 2008, Bangkok, Thailand yesterday (Sept 2, 2008).

The Report finds evidence that ICTs and broadband uptake foster growth and development, but the question remains as to the optimal speed that should be targeted in view of limited resources.

The area in which the region really stands out is the uptake of advanced Internet technologies, especially broadband Internet access. The Asia-Pacific region is the world’s largest broadband market with a 39…

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Tags: 3G, Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Bangladesh, Broadband, broadband access, broadband and triple-play services, broadband Internet access, broadband Internet subscribers, broadband technologies, Cambodia, China, communication services, communication technologies, continuous high-speed Internet access, desirable and valuable online services, Distance Learning, fibre optic, Fixed and mobile broadband technologies, HIGH-speed Internet access, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Internet technologies, Internet Telephony, IP telephony, ITU TELECOM, Japan, Laos, Maldives, mobile phones, Myanmar, poorer countries Internet access remains, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines, Tonga, ubiquitous Internet access plan combining, ultra-high speed Internet applications, USD, Wi-Fi.

Is Indonesia the next big thing in broadband?

Abu Saeed Khan

on August 13, 2008

Indonesia is emerging as a hot broadband market, mainly as a result of the increasing availability of high-speed 3G and HSDPA mobile services. According to Arjun Trivedi, the head of business in Indonesia for Nokia Siemens Networks, high speed mobile services are now the dominant form of broadband access in the country. He says, “In Indonesia today, there are slightly more than a million broadband users. Quite a substantial number of these – we estimate some 60 per cent – are wireless broadband users, principally using HSDPA. We also estimate that there are about 400,000 fixed broadband users and a little over 600,000 mobile broadband users.” TelecomTV writes more.

2 Comments
Tags: 3G, Arjun Trivedi, Broadband, broadband access, Indonesia, Nokia Siemens Networks, speed mobile services, wireless broadband, wireless broadband users.

Ultra-fast broadband plan ‘waste of money’ - New Zealand govt.

Chanuka Wattegama

on April 23, 2008

While Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka awaits public comments on its ‘National Backbone Network’ proposed to be installed mostly as a fully government owned infrastructure to provide islandwide broadband links, New Zealand Government says it would be a huge waste of taxpayer money to put $1.5 billion into ultra-fast broadband access.

New Zealand’s National Party leader John Key announced the ambitious plan to put broadband into every home and business through fibre cables over the next six years if his party wins the next election. Mr Key said that with the fibre network he wanted, people would be able to use the internet at lightning speed - essential if the country was to increase productivity and remain internationally competitive.

But Communications Minister David Cunliffe saw nothing but…

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Tags: Broadband, broadband access, David Cunliffe, fibre network, John Key, New Zealand, New Zealand government, New Zealand\'s National Party, Sri Lanka, USD, While Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri L.

BSNL to expand broadband to 25,000 Indian villages

Chanuka Wattegama

on April 5, 2008

Indian telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is expanding its rural broadband access in partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks. Expanded service will begin commercial operation in July.

Nokia Siemens will deploy BSNL broadband access in 20 circles (administrative country subdivisions) in India. This will give an additional 25,000 Indian villages access to digital-age services like high-speed Internet and virtual private networks (VPNs).

The new network will also enable BSNL to provide connectivity to CSCs (Community Service Centres) and other e-governance locations.

India today has approximately 3.4 million broadband connections, of which 1.7 million connections are provided by BSNL.

Read the full story here.

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Tags: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Broadband, broadband access, e-governance, high-speed Internet, India, Nokia Siemens Networks, Virtual Private Networks.

US bemoans falling behind in broadband (and lacking data to measure the extent of the fall)

Rohan Samarajiva

on February 20, 2008

Broadband Access Data Mischief — SSRC

There is clear consensus that our nation’s ability to compete in the high speed broadband world is essential to our economic future. Unfortunately, the Administration and the Federal Communications Commission continue to rely upon inadequate, highly-flawed data to assess the marketplace for high-speed Internet access. The Administration’s “mission Accomplished” rhetoric does not match reality:

* According to a September 2007 Pew Internet & American Life Project phone survey, roughly half of all Americans don’t have broadband at home. Half is far from universal.
* Fewer than 25% of New Yorkers in rural areas have access to broadband service and nearly two-thirds of people living in New York City lack access to affordable, high-speed broadband. Some New York City neighborhoods — like Sunset…

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Tags: America, Broadband, broadband access, broadband technology, Bush, Chicago, China, DSL, Federal Communications Commission, HIGH-speed Internet access, New York City, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Sunset Park, United States, US Department of Commerce.

Seacom laying Africa undersea cable

Abu Saeed Khan

on November 22, 2007

Mauritius-based private equity venture Seacom has started the construction of a fibre optic cable that will link southern and east Africa with India and Europe.

The $650 million project covers more than 15,000 kilometres to link South Africa to India and France through Mozambique, Madagascar, Kenya and Tanzania. It is expected to provide first broadband access to countries in East Africa, which are currently using satellite connections.

In a similar project, NEPAD e-Africa Commission signed a deal with an American firm 5-P Holdings in November 2007 for the construction of an undersea submarine cable to link every country in Africa with the outside world.

This is a joint project between African investors and US telecommunications development company Herakles Telecom. The cable will be ready to…

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Tags: Africa, Alcatel-Lucent, broadband access, East Africa, Europe, fibre optic, France, Herakles Telecom, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, satellite connections, South Africa, Tanzania, telecommunications development, United States, USD.

Benchmarking broadband in the OECD

Rohan Samarajiva

on July 17, 2007

The OECD has published comparative data on broadband speeds and prices. This will help drive prices down and quality up.

The rest of the countries need to develop their own benchmarks.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Global broadband prices revealed

According to the report, broadband prices for DSL connections across the 30 countries have fallen by 19% and increased in speed by 29% in the year to October 2006. Cable prices and speeds followed a similar trend.The least expensive monthly subscription for always-on broadband was in Sweden, where $10.79 (£5.40) per month bought a 256kbps connection. The country with the most expensive entry point for broadband access was Mexico, where it cost $52.36 (£26.18) per month for 1mbps.

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Tags: BBC, Broadband, broadband access, DSL, GBP, Mexico, OECD, Sweden, USD.

India’s Universal Service officials seek information about teleuse at the Bottom of the Pyramid

Rohan Samarajiva

on March 25, 2007

On March 22nd, LIRNEasia was invited to present the Teleuse@BOP findings to the staff of the Indian USO Fund and interested members of the Telecom Commission. It was a great honor to share our findings with this knowledgeable audience, knowing that they make the decisions regarding disbursement of the world’s second largest universal service fund.

While the slides that were used are by no means the sum total of the findings from the survey, they are the broadest slice of data presented so far. The discussion ranged from interpretation of the survey findings to whether or not broadband access should be subsidized, a question triggered by the rather shocking findings about the use and knowledge of the Internet at the BOP in India.

The presentation slides can…

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Tags: broadband access, India, Indian USO Fund, Telecom Commission.

Reach out and see somebody

Rohan Samarajiva

on January 6, 2007

Seems like a good business idea for entrepreneurs in countries like Bngladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, with large migrant populations. Even at double the US set up costs, it won’t take long to start earning returns. Of course, good broadband is a necessary condition.

Abroad at Home - New York Times

Because of stricter border enforcement since 9/11, increased broadband access and reduced cost of video equipment, more businesses are offering videoconferencing services to reunite immigrants with their families back home. Typically found in or near places immigrants frequent like money-transfer operations or consular offices, these kinds of services are often reserved for weeks in advance. “I’m booked Dec. 20 through Jan. 1,” said Ivan Fernando Rojas, owner of a small videoconferencing business in…

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Tags: Bay Shore, Bngladesh, Broadband, broadband access, Colombia, Home - New York Times, India, Indonesia, Ivan Fernando Rojas, Laura Shay, New York, Sri Lanka, technology cost, the Philippines, United States, USD, video conferencing, video equipment, videoconference equipment.

Building Digital Communities forum at ITU World 2006, Hong Kong

Indi Samarajiva

on December 20, 2006

Rohan Samarajiva and Divakar Goswami from LIRNEasia chaired back-to-back Forum sessions at the ITU World 2006 in Hong Kong on December 7.

The Building Digital Communities session, chaired by Divakar, covered a wide-swathe of topics. In his opening remarks [PDF], he outlined on some of the issues that would be covered in the presentations and discussion to follow.

In his Keynote address, the Indonesian Minister of Communication & IT, Sofyan Djalil proposed that global equipment manufacturers should adopt a new business model where they share some of the investment risk with operators while deploying infrastructure in financially unviable areas in developing countries. He suggested that the current model where developing countries are only purchasers of high cost equipment and services, breeds dependency and is unsustainable in the long run. In…

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Tags: Asia, broadband access, Divakar Goswami, Heather Hudson, high cost equipment, HK Knowledge Management Society, Hong Kong, Hungary, Knowledge Management, Ministry of Economy & Transport, Panelists Les Hales, Rabobank Group, Rohan Samarajiva, SAN FRANCISCO, Telecom Management, The Netherlands, Univ of San Francisco.

Broadband battles

Rohan Samarajiva

on November 24, 2006

Here is an issue that will feature large in India and even Bhutan, but not Sri Lanka. The reason is that the former countries have a sizable number of cable connections, which will in the future be used to provide broadband access in competition to phone companies.

Because of the profligacy of frequency-based broadcast licensing in Sri Lanka, there is no cable industry to speak of. What there is uses frequencies. That means it cannot easily be turned into a conduit for broadband.

Phone vs. Cable: Turf Wars Escalate - New York Times

What is different now is that the contest is a two-way slugfest between powerful and sophisticated companies with deep pockets and a lot more to lose. The start-ups that were…

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Tags: AT&T, Bhutan, Broadband, broadband access, Comcast, Craig Moffett, India, MCI, Sanford Bernstein, Sri Lanka, Time Warner Cable, Turf Wars Escalate - New York Times.

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