Information and Communications for Development 2009: Extending Reach and Increasing Impact

This document analyses how information and communication technology (ICT), and particularly broadband and mobile, are impacting economic growth in developing countries. The data section includes at-a-glance tables of the latest available data on ICT sector performance for 150 economies. Performance measures for access, affordability, and applications in government and business are also introduced.

The book first examines the economic impact of mobile, broadband connectivity, and e-government applications. It highlights country experiences with different institutional arrangements for e-government and discusses policy options for advancing access to ICT infrastructure and services. It also reviews policy options that encourage the development of information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services industries in the developing world. The report then analyses the trends in ICT sector development, drawing on the most recent national data on key indicators that are also presented in the at-a-glance tables. ICT performance measures, on a scale from 1 to 10, are introduced for ready comparisons of countries’ ICT capacities, as well as for benchmarking their progress along three key dimensions of ICT development over time: (1) access to ICT services; (2) affordability of ICT services; and (3) adoption of ICT applications in government and business.

Highlighting elements of good practice that are emerging for policy, regulatory, and investment frameworks, this report addresses some of the challenges faced by developing countries on the agenda of ICT for development.

Table of ContentsPart IChapter 1. Overview Mohsen Khalil, Philippe Dongier, and Christine Zhen-Wei Qiang Chapter 2. Nothing Endures but Change: Thinking Strategically about ICT Convergence Rajendra Singh and Siddhartha Raja Chapter 3. Economic Impacts of Broadband Christine Zhen-Wei Qiang and Carlo M. Rossotto with Kaoru Kimura Chapter 4. Advancing the Development of Backbone Networks in Sub-Saharan Africa Mark D. J. Williams Chapter 5. How Do Manual and E-Government Services Compare? Experiences from India Deepak Bhatia, Subhash C. Bhatnagar, and Jiro Tominaga Chapter 6. National E-Government Institutions: Functions, Models, and Trends Nagy K. Hanna and Christine Zhen-Wei Qiang with Kaoru Kimura and Siou Chew Kuek Chapter 7. Realizing the Opportunities Presented by the Global Trade in IT-Based Services Philippe Dongier and Randeep SudanPart IIKey Trends in ICT Development David A. Cieslikowski, Naomi J. Halewood, Kaoru Kimura, and Christine Zhen-Wei Qiang ICT Performance Measures: Methodology and Findings User's Guide to ICT At-a-Glance Country Tables At-a-Glance Country Tables Key ICT Indicators for Other Economies, 2007