1. Development of the Broadband Initiative in the ARO: plans and way forward
Arab Regional Development Forum on
Broadband in the Arab Region: Challenges and Opportunities
  Tunis-Tunisia, 17 September 2012
Rouda AlAmir Ali

2. Why Broadband
Broadband is a vital enabler for social and economic development.
High speed Internet access is increasingly viewed as essential infrastructure for the global information economy.
Accelerating broadband deployment provides a constructive platform for addressing a variety of public challenges including healthcare, education, transportation, security and workforce/economic development.
Wide spreading of broadband networks will promote the Arabic digital content and local applications.
Through broadband, the provision of public services is transformed to make them global public goods for the global good.

4. How to Promote broadband
Broadband should become a top priority for decision-makers.
It also needs to be included in the global development agenda post-2015.
Need a high level dialogue between the stakeholders on strategies & policies directed towards broadband development and to explore new ideas on how to foster demand for broadband and e-services.
Innovative business models and financing arrangements need to be developed.

5. Government will continue to have significant roles to play in providing broadband services, articulating national visions, and stimulating consumer demand.
Governments to avoid limiting market entry and taxing ICT services to enable broadband markets to realize their full growth potential.
In addition to broadband networks, a new service, personalized applications and fully multilingual content should be developed to maximize the broadband potential.
Legislative and regulatory frameworks need to be reviewed.

6. ITU’s contribution in respect of broadband infrastructure and services
including in the domains of
spectrum management;
technical standardization activities;
development projects and promoting an enabling policy and regulatory environment.

7. Broadband Commission for Digital Development
facebook.com/broadbandcommission
Launched in May 2010, in response to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call for more concerted efforts by the UN system to help achieve the MDGs.
Created by ITU in partnership with UNESCO.
Five working groups are currently operational, focusing on a wide range of issues including youth, education, health, science and climate change.

8. Broadband Commission Targets for 2015
Four ambitious but achievable targets for making broadband policy universal and for boosting affordability and broadband uptake to ensure the benefits of broadband are made available to all:
Target 1: Making broadband policy universal
Target 2: Making broadband affordable
Target 3: Connecting homes to broadband
Target 4: Getting people online

9. BTD- ARO programs in the Arab States
Cybersecurity
Broadband.
Migration from Analogue to Digital Broadcasting.
Arabic Digital Content
Open Source Software
Connect Arab Summit
e-health, e-Accessibility, e-education, Promotion of women in ICT etc.

10. What has been done for the broadband initiative
the ARO activities was focused on the following key areas:
Capacity building
Internet Exchange Points
Connect a school, connect a community
National master plan for broadband
Strategic partnership

11. Capacity Building
This was done by conducting several workshops and training in IP-based networks:
Arab Regional Workshop on LTE, Smart Village, Giza-Egypt, 6-8 December 2011
Regional Workshop on “ICT Indicators from Strategy to Impact”, Sharm El Sheikh-Egypt, 8-9 June 2012.
Through an ongoing regular programme activities in Centre of excellence

12. Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)
ITU in collaboration with LAS issued the final report of the working group of the “Connect Arab Internet Networks” in January 2012.
The project was one of the projects approved during the Connect Arab Summit in March 2012.
A new committee to announce in order to facilitate and follow up the implementation of this project.
This project has a critical importance to promote broadband, content and services in the Arab region.

13. Connect a School, Connect a Community
Following the WSIS Mandate to connect all primary schools and post-secondary schools by 2015, ITU School Connectivity Project envisages connecting selected schools in five countries from the globe wherein Comoros is one of the beneficiary countries.
This project also fulfills the ITU ARO Regional Broadband Initiative.
This project will promote broadband internet connectivity in schools in remote, rural or underserved areas of Comoros.

14. Strategic Partnership
Expert training course on “ Broadband policy “ was offered by Korea Communications Commission (KCC). The Program of the course has been discussed between KCC and ITU.
The Training course was held end of May 2012 in Seoul and hosted by the KCC, in partnership with the Korea Internet and Security Agency (KISA) and the ITU.
Four countries from the Arab region have benefited from this course: Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Tunisia.

15. ARO Broadband Activities 2012 Objectives
Many activities aims at:
improving broadband network infrastructure for the provision of good-quality and affordable telecommunication/ICT services in urban and rural areas
developing of human resources to address regulatory, technical and economic issues related to broadband communication networks.

16. ARO Broadband Activities 2012 Objectives (cont.)
Consolidating the partnership with private and civil society.
creating of platforms to increase enhanced dialogue and knowledge between national regulators, operators, policy-makers and other Telecommunication/ICT stakeholders in terms of broadband technologies and to identify most suitable solution.

17. ARO 2012 Broadband planned Activities
Workshop on New Trends for building and Financing Broadband: Policies & Economies.
Workshop on 3G & 4G Networks: Technologies, Concept and Deployment Forum.
Direct Assistance for developing a Master plan for broadband implementation for selected countries in the Arab region .
Project: Connect Arab Internet Networks (IXPs) follow up meetings.

18. Way Forward
Country led planning towards universal coverage with targets set and contribution of key stakeholders clearly identified.
Ensuring allocation of budget to this commitment.
Allocation of adequate trained HR at all levels to accelerate the pace of scaling up.
Exploring innovative approaches of business models that ensure mobilizing resources.
Advocacy

19. Opportunities
Most of the Investments will be directed in the next 10 years to IP-Based Infrastructure & Services.
The Digital Divide is largest in this.
Special stress to Broadband; the current decade is the Broadband Decade compares to the last one was Mobile Decade.
Different Scope & Measures for meaningful Analysis & Planning.
Different Business Models.

20. Challenges
Many of the broadband initiatives are fragmented and not part of a comprehensive national strategy
Need a long term vision & commitment to move towards a universal access.
Need to strengthen the capacity to formulate the policy and strategy.
Limiting recognition of role, contribution & potential of private sector in expending the broadband access.
Weak implementation of broadband networks is a constraint to the progress towards achieving the MDGs.
Government will continue to have significant roles to play in providing broadband services, articulating national visions, and stimulating consumer demand.
Stimulate local content production & enhance local capacity.

21. List of countries with national broadband strategies
Country
Country has adopted a national policy to promote Broadband
If No, are there plans to adopt one?
Website where the policy is made available
Algeria
Yes
Bahrain
Comoros No
Egypt

22. Country
Country has adopted a national policy to promote Broadband
If No, are there plans to adopt one?
Website where the policy is made available
Iraq No
Yes
Lebanon
Mauritania
Morocco
Oman
Qatar

23. Country
Country has adopted a national policy to promote Broadband
If No, are there plans to adopt one?
Website where the policy is made available
Saudi Arabia
Yes
Sudan No
Tunisia
By 2015, all countries should have a national broadband plan or strategy or include broadband in Universal Access / Service Definitions

24. Broadband Commission Targets
By Year 2015, entry-level broadband services should be made affordable in developing countries (amounting to <5% of average monthly income) 40% of households in developing countries should have Internet access Internet user penetration should reach 60% worldwide, 50% in developing countries and 15% in LDCs

25. شكرا لحسن إستماعكم rouda.alamirali@itu.int