Website: National Broadband Initiative
Event Report: National Broadband Initiative workshop report
Event Description:
Recognizing the positive effects of broadband on economic growth, several developed countries have not only focused on policy measures to accelerate growth and penetration of broadband, but have also included it as an area for fiscal stimulus. However, increasing gap between developing and developed countries, not only in terms of mobile coverage but also in terms of broadband penetration indicates an increasing gap in potential for economic growth. Further, within these countries there is a huge disparity between the metros, urban and rural areas. Increasing gaps in broadband deployment are seen as gaps in competitiveness of economies, and therefore, it is vitally important for India to develop a national agenda for broadband deployment.
This is an initiative by IITCOE for all stakeholders including the DoT, TRAI, DIT, private operator, Indian Railways/RailTel/Infrastructure Providers, other government user agencies such as the Planning Commission, academic institutions, industry and others to develop a research agenda and an action plan for broadband deployment in the country. A dialogue between the policymakers and the researchers is necessary to develop the outline of a medium term action plan and a policy research agenda, covering identified current and future issues which will require further work.
Topics to be discussed:
1) Experience of Other Countries
2) Technological Developments
3) Demand Factors
4) State Level Factors
5) Addressing the Needs of Rural, Semi urban, Low Ability to Pay Customers
Organizers:
1) IIM Ahmedabad Idea Telecom Centre of Excellence (IITCOE)
2) Indian Council for Research in International Economic Relations (ICRIER)
Objective:
This is a call to all interested stakeholders including the DoT, TRAI, DIT, other government agencies such as the Planning Commission, academic institutions, industry and others to develop a research agenda and an action plan for broadband deployment in the country. A dialogue between the policymakers and the researchers is necessary to develop the outline of a medium term action plan and a policy research agenda, covering identified current and future issues which will require further work.
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This should be a knowledge intensive workshop
ReplyDeleteSurely it was very focussed discussion.
ReplyDeleteOne of the takeaways was the definition of Broadband as defined by Dr Robert Pepper of Cisco.
This definition included along with download, upload and latency values. Upload, download are understandable as going up.
Latency value is the new parameter. For latency values, he indicated 90 msec for the present and 60 msec for the future.
Would request help for the technical explanation to show as benefit to the internet user when latency comes down to 90msec and later to 60 msec.
The FCC has recently announced a plan to change the way it treats the last mile internet access from an information to a telecommunication service. This will mean that it will be regulated as common carriage which means that they i)cannot discriminate against carrying any kind of traffic, ii) need to contribute towards rural services fund and iii) agree with the FCC on their charges.
ReplyDeleteThe Economist (http://www.economist.com/business-finance/economics-focus/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16106593&CFID=133862844&CFTOKEN=18402581) has an interesting perspective relating this plan to the common carriage regulation of railways, old time highway inns and cargo ships. Read on.
Hello all,
ReplyDeleteThis is with reference to the following initative in the US for
broadband spectrum allocation.
We have been talking about 700 MHz for commercial mobile services for
a long time; Mobile TV recommendations by TRAI in Aug 2008 on
earmarking of UHF Band V (from 585 MHz – 806 MHz) for terrestrial mode
of mobile television transmission has been put in the back burner.
The moot question is: Is spectrum scarce as we perceive it to be??
With Head-End in the Sky (HITS), the government should initate
widespread deployment of digital transmission and release frequencies
in the UHF band being used for terrestrrial TV transission for
commertcial mobile broadband services.
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Broadband Availability to Expand
New York Times (06/27/10) Wyatt, Edward
U.S. President Barack Obama today will sign a memorandum that makes
500 megahertz of wireless spectrum, currently controlled by the
federal government and private companies, available for auction. The
memorandum is part of an administration effort to nearly double the
wireless communications spectrum available for commercial use over the
next 10 years. Most of the spectrum would be designated for commercial
use in mobile broadband and similar applications, and proceeds from
the auction would help finance better communications systems for
public safety agencies. About 45 percent of the spectrum to be
auctioned will come from federal agencies that will be asked to give
up allocations that they are not using or could share. The remaining
spectrum will come from unused spectrum already scheduled for auction
or from broadcasters who would be offered incentives to relinquish
part of their airwaves. "The administration's strong actions on
wireless broadband will move us significantly toward sustainable
economic success, robust investment, and global leadership in
innovation," says Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius
Genachowski.
For details, refer to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/28/technology/28broadband.html