No abstract

A variety of studies have focused on the effect of competition in broadband markets on increasing broadband penetration rates. Few studies however have focused on the extent to which competition also results in innovation in the marketplace, as demonstrated by increased broadband speeds, and other improvements that provide value to broadband users. This paper considers the effectiveness of market competition as a means of encouraging broadband providers to offer innovative services that meet citizens' increasing needs for affordable high quality and high speed broadband connectivity. The study focuses on the provision of broadband services in Canada, a country where consumers were early adopters of broadband and where the policy environment has encouraged competition in the broadband market from its inception.Drawing on data from the OECD and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the paper demonstrates that Canada's regulatory regime does not appear to be sufficient to enable a competitive marketplace that results in the provision of innovative broadband services.

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When disasters strike and aid agencies pour in to help the survivors they are increasingly making use of advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs). For remote areas of developing countries, this use of ICTs may be the community's first exposure to these technologies. And while the role of these ICTs is primarily linked to disaster response and recovery, in certain situations they can be transitioned for use in development programs. This paper discusses the crucial factors in design and deployment of relief ICTs that are likely to influence their ultimate use as tools for development. Derived from cases developed through secondary data, the factors are broken into those related to communication technology transfer and those related to information technology transfer. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.

This study analyzes the nature of regulatory independence and its influence on wireless market development in Tanzania and Botswana. The study finds that the level of regulatory independence is associated with improved market conditions. The research has implications for theories of regulation and market development in low income countries. In particular the Tanzania case suggests that the independence of regulation can have secondary effects such as diversity of technologies and faster transitions to advanced technologies, while the reversal of independence in Botswana highlights the need for greater insights into the under-theorized dynamic nature of regulatory independence.