ITU urges Canada to ‘play a more proactive role’ in Broadband Commission

Although Canadians were not part of the initial stage of the international Broadband Commission for Digital Development, the secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says it’s time for Canada to take part. In an email interview with The Wire Report from Mexico, ITU secretary-general Dr. Hamadoun Touré said he would like to see Canada participate in the commission’s second report, for which the group is now accepting submissions. He added that Canada should submit documents to the new Sharehouse repository—an online databank where governments, international organizations, companies and others involved in broadband deployment can post broadband-related materials. The Wire Report communicated with Touré via email while he was attending the ITU’s 2010 Plenipotentiary Conference in Mexico, where he was re-elected as secretary general. The Broadband Commission released its report last month, which called for “broadband inclusion for all” and issued policy recommendations for governments and the private sector to improve broadband access. The commission, created in May by the ITU and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), is studying the use of broadband to improve the delivery of healthcare, education, environmental sustainability and safety. Touré and UNESCO director general Irina Bokova are serving as joint vice-chairs of the commission. But of the 56 commissioners, not one is Canadian, sparking a debate about Canada’s role in international broadband efforts. The following email interview has been edited for length and style. The commission calls for broadband inclusion for all, suggesting everyone, everywhere, should have access. Here in Canada, is there anything specific our governments or companies can or should do on the international front to aid the deployment of broadband? As one of the world’s leading economies, the commission would be delighted if Canada were willing to play a more proactive role as a broadband advocate, and also contribute to the ongoing work of the commission through contributions to the new Sharehouse repository, and the work on the second report of the commission, entitled “Broadband: A Platform for Progress,” for which we are now accepting submissions and input. Is there anything Canada can or should do domestically? It’s clear from my discussions with the Canadian delegation here at the conference that Canada is very committed to promoting the concept of “broadband inclusion for all.” The government is working on developing the right strategy that would meet the country’s challenges, in terms of connecting its population, such as isolated communities and over large geographical distances. Other countries—developed and developing—face similar challenges, and one of the aims of the Broadband Commission is to share best practices in terms of network deployment in challenging environments. The Broadband Commission has three main recommendations in its report to move forward broadband inclusion: creating an advocacy group, a public-private partnership for sustainable business models, and a think-tank for broadband development. What has to happen for these recommendations to become realities? Now the work really begins, to make these proposals work. What we’re trying to emphasize is that everyone needs to be very proactive, especially in terms of advocacy. We want to explore what business models might work and emphasize centralized planning, cooperation between different government departments, and a national vision of what these networks will deliver. We will achieve much better cost efficiencies—and get better end results in terms of delivery of applications and services—if we take the time to think about what we want, and how best to get it. How likely is it that the international community—presumably under the auspices of the UN—will embrace these recommendations? The UN Secretary General welcomed the findings of the Broadband Commission. There’s a growing recognition of the enormous importance these networks will play in the economic future of each and every country. No country can afford to be left out. Developing a broadband vision and working to implement that vision benefits everyone. Industry benefits because of stimulated demand for equipment and construction services; network operators benefit because of increased volumes of traffic over their networks; governments benefit by being able to deliver more services online, which can equate to huge savings; and of course citizens benefit through a wider range of useful services accessible online. The first recommendation is the development of a high-level advocacy group modelled on the Broadband Commission. What would this group do? We’re still very much in the early stages of discussion about what the commissioners’ vision would be for such a group. Broadband has the potential to transform service delivery in key areas like healthcare, education, environmental management, and good governance. It really does represent a solution to many of today’s most pressing problems and strong messages to send out to the world. The second recommendation is the development of a public-private partnership for sustainable broadband business models. Why is it so important to have the public and private sectors work together? Information and communications technologies (ICTs) are so pervasive, so complex, and so interconnected, that it’s clear that no entity can go it alone. It’s not like the old model, where governments owned and managed the national telco. Now ICTs are everywhere, embedded in our lives, and our economies, in ways it’s hard to fully grasp. Developing the networks and services that meet tomorrow’s needs will require the active participation of both the public and private sectors. Governments can set the policy directions and regulations that will help create a vibrant, healthy environment for ICT development. And private industry can contribute the capital—both financial and intellectual—that gets the networks in place and drives ongoing development of technologies and services. The third recommendation is the development of a multi-stakeholder think-tank for broadband development. What role would the think tank play? Again, it’s a little early to speculate on the shape or role of this entity—but the “multi-stakeholder” element is very important. Broadband networks will be profoundly transformative, and will have an impact at all levels of society. So we need all players to be involved in order to create the kinds of infrastructure and services that will best serve us, and our children, into the future. news@thewirereport.ca

ITU urges Canada to ‘play a more proactive role’ in Broadband Commission

News | October 8, 2010

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