The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has revealed new statistics that highlight a significant global disparity in the adoption and affordability of broadband internet access services. It found that consumers in the UK typically spend 0.63% of their monthly income on fixed broadband ISPs, while those in the Central African Republic (the most expensive) would need to spend 3891%!

Sadly it's quite common for the poorest countries to have the most expensive broadband access, which is at least partly attributable to supply and demand. New telecoms networks don't come cheap and any country with a poor population would struggle to afford such services, leaving it as a luxury for the rich. The lack of competition in such markets doesn't help.

By contrast 30% of people in Western Europe, which is significantly more prosperous, now have broadband access and pay on average just 1% or less of their monthly income to receive it. In many of the world’s poorest countries, fixed broadband penetration remains below 1% and access costs over 100% of an average monthly income.

Country - Fixed Broadband Subs Per 100 People - (% of income)
UK - 29.8% - (0.63%)
USA - 27.1% - (0.5%)
France - 31.1% - (1.02%)
Germany - 30.4% - (1.23%)
Canada - 29.7% - (0.71%)
Australia - 25.4% - (0.77%)
South Korea - 33.8% - (1.41%)
Brazil - 7.5% - (4.58%)
Russia - 9.2% - (1.66%)
India - 0.7% - (5.84%)
China - 7.7% - (7.19%)

As a result of these problems the ITU has called on governments and development agencies around the world to make broadband internet access a top priority. It's hoped that improved broadband could also assist the United Nations (UN) in reaching its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of raising living standards and reducing poverty by 2015.


As it stands some 30 countries around the world have added broadband to their universal service definitions. The UK currently plans to make a minimum broadband speed of at least 2Mbps available to everybody in the country by 2015, although this is a weak "commitment" rather than an "obligation".

Dr Touré will be presenting his full Broadband Commission for Digital Development report to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, in New York on 19th September 2010 and as part of the 2010 Millennium Development Goals Summit. Dr Touré is also speaking at a Westminster Media Forum seminar today in London.