Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, ICT, and telecommunications in particular, plays a key role as an enabler of economic and social development. A bellwether of national competitiveness, national broadband can contribute to efforts in addressing such challenges as poverty, climate change, and an aging population. The World Bank estimates that a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration can potentially translate into 1.3 percent GDP growth. More than 30 countries have made national broadband commitments, reflecting a trend that governments are recognizing its competitive advantages and are reshaping the broadband landscape by way of investments or regulations.

Speaking about the global development of the ICT industry, Dr. Touré, Secretary-General of ITU, said: “In the 21st century, affordable, ubiquitous broadband networks will be as critical to social and economic prosperity as transport, water and power. Not only does broadband deliver benefits across every sector of society, it also helps promote social and economic development.”

Huawei plays an active role in driving the deployment of national broadband networks worldwide. In 2009, Huawei was commissioned to develop Singapore’s Next Generation National Broadband Network (NGNBN), the first open access NBN to be commercially deployed in the world. Singapore’s NBN deployment provides a model for the industry not only in terms of effectively deploying NBNs, but also underscores the need for greater public-private sector collaborations in creating greater value-add through broadband.