This report examines the way in which broadband networks interact with the economy, the role they play in creating the conditions for sustainable economic growth and prosperity, and the structural changes they enable. Emphasis is put on the economic impacts, in particular on growth, globalisation and employment. The report was presented to the Working Party...

Broadband plays a critical role in the workings of the economy and society. It connects consumers, businesses, and governments and facilitates social interaction. Hence, broadband policies are now a vital instrument to ensure the competitiveness of OECD countries and to address pressing societal concerns.

The expansion of the services sector, globalisation, deregulation and the emergence of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) have brought to the fore the issue of how knowledge is created, disseminated, retained and used to obtain economic returns. This development is associated with a structural change from traditional scale-based manufacturing to new more innovation-intensive activities...

This statistical profile, prepared for the OECD Ministerial meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy taking place in Seoul on 17-18 June, compares major trends in the diffusion of the internet across OECD and selected non-OECD countries.

Convergence and next generation networks and their potential impact on policies and regulations is the subject of this report, covering issues of competition in the new fibre environment, convergence of video, voice and data services, the rapid growth of new technologies, such as HDTV and mobile television, and the related demand for spectrum, as well...