The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a telecommunications agency that forms part of the United Nations (UN), has set down a new global Broadband Challenge that calls upon all countries to meet its four "ambitious but achievable" targets for high-speed internet access policy, affordability and uptake.

UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development Targets

1. Making broadband policy universal.

* By 2015, all countries should have a national broadband plan or strategy or include broadband in their Universal Access / Service Definitions.

2. Making broadband affordable.

* By 2015, entry-level broadband services should be made affordable in developing countries through adequate regulation and market forces (for example, amount to less than 5% of average monthly income).

3. Connecting homes to broadband.

* By 2015, 40% of households in developing countries should have Internet access.

4. Getting people online.

* By 2015, Internet user penetration should reach 60% worldwide, 50% in developing countries and 15% in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

Most of the targets seem feasible, especially since the ITU doesn't appear to define precisely what "entry-level broadband" actually is (i.e. countries and ISPs have a tendency to adopt their own definitions), although we suspect that no.2 will be difficult in a number of developing countries.

In September last year a related ITU study (here) revealed that 30% of people in Western Europe 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 more than 100% of an average monthly income.


The ITU has also taken responsibility for monitoring each country's progress, which will be detailed in an annual broadband report that ranks each country by its broadband policy, affordability and uptake.

The Broadband Challenge (PDF)
http://www.broadbandcommission.org/Documents/Broadband_Challenge.pdf