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Over the past ten years, private-sector-led growth has revolutionized access to telecommunications. Every region of the developing world benefitted in terms of investment and rollout. This revolution would have been impossible without government reform and oversight. Advanced information and communication infrastructure (ICI) are increasingly important to doing business in a globalizing world. Governments, enterprises, civil society, workers, and poor populations in the developing countries need more affordable access. This report proposes strategies that governments can carry out to attract private investment and ensure the continued evolution and spread of information and communication infrastructure. These strategies encompass more than sector policy alone, for investment decisions are based on a wide range of factors including, for example, the roles played by financial sector development and the broader investment environment. The strategies also include potential public sector investments that can catalyze ICI rollout in subsectors where the private sector is not prepared to intervene on its own.

Recent evidence suggests that increasing overall service coverage and promoting access to telecommunications services have a high economic benefit. Overall, it is estimated that a ten percent increase in mobile telephony penetration could increase economic growth by 0.81 percent in developing countries, whereas a ten percent increase in broadband penetration could increase economic growth by 1.4 percent. In rural and low-income areas in particular, not only do basic telephony services and broadband access allow population to connect with relatives and friends, but they have also introduced a dramatic increase in productivity and in many cases have become the only way for small and medium enterprises in rural areas to access national and, in some cases, global markets. Moreover, the impact of access to telecommunications in rural areas on health, education, disaster management, and local governments has allowed better and more rapid responses, improved coordination, and more effective public management. It is therefore worthwhile to take a second look at all possible policy options, both conventional mechanisms (some of which underutilized) as well as new approaches, to determine whether some of them may be relevant for the emerging agenda of universal broadband access. This paper will first address the necessary conditions required to adopt a more ambitious universal access policy in developing countries. After that, a brief account of the main relevant trends in the industry will be made, followed by a description of twelve different mechanisms for project implementation and six different mechanisms for funding of universal access strategies. Then, an evaluation of the mechanisms will be carried out to identify the most suitable ones. Finally, some recommendations to policy makers on implementation of the preferred mechanisms are also drawn from the analysis.

Rapid advances in information technology (IT) and the resulting global connectivity are fueling dynamic growth in the services sector. Demand for IT and IT-enabled services (ITES) is estimated to represent a $500 billion annual market, of which only about 20 percent has been realized. Thus, this sector is creating new opportunities for economic growth, social empowerment, and grassroots innovation in developing countries. The potential for employment for youth and women is a particular benefit. This book is a practical guide for policy makers aiming to grow their IT services and ITES industries. It defines the development impact of the two industries and then analyzes factors crucial to the competitiveness of a country or location—including skills, cost advantages, infrastructure, and a hospitable business environment. It examines the potential competitiveness of small countries and of least developed countries specifically. This volume presents the Location Readiness Index, a modeling tool developed by McKinsey and Company for the World Bank and the Information Development Program. The index helps countries to identify their areas of relative strengths and weaknesses and to focus their efforts on interventions with the greatest likelihood for success. The book concludes by discussing specific policy options for enabling growth in the IT services and ITES industries.

The research is focused on the design and structuring of a model for the allocation of shared resources, both work and non-consumable resources, for the development and control of projects in telecommunications companies. The structure is based on the criteria and algorithm of simultaneous scheduling, defining the rules of allocation and dispatch, with the objective of establishing the efficient use of the resources required in projects for the supply of telecommunications services, taking into account the social impact, management times, risk, service levels and costs and revenues of the project. [...]a model was developed to facifitate, by means of a composite system, the prioritization of projects that generate the greatest social impact. En el momento que la empresa decide contratar dichos servicios a los proveedores de internet o más conocidos por sus siglas como internet Service Provider (ISP), las solicitudes ingresan de dos maneras, la primera de forma unitaria y la segunda por paquetes de proyectos, esta última en forma de múltiples servicios para un mismo cliente, en la cual se centra el desarrollo de esta investigación.

This joint OED (Operations Evaluation Department) / OEG (Operations Evaluation Group) study follows up OED ' s 1993 review of the Bank ' s experience in telecommunications. It assesses how World Bank Group assistance from 1993 onward has influenced the development of information infrastructure in developing countries. It finds that recommendations of the 1993 review have generally been heeded with a) the adoption of a new private-sector-led agenda; b) the incorporation of the new agenda in most recent Bank lending and non-lending interventions; and c) the increasing share of IFC in total Bank Group funding commitments for telecommunications. The study points out that, at a time when the information revolution presents developing countries with far-reaching opportunities and risks, the Bank Group ' s ability to play a global policy leadership role has been hampered by its benign neglect of the sector at both the strategic and country management levels, as well as a fragmented internal organization. As a result, the number of countries where it has had a real impact is limited. The study recommends that the Bank Group a) restate its strategy in the broader information infrastructure, with a particular focus on optimizing the use of its instruments and expert skills; and b) gaps in the existing monitoring and evaluation systems be filled, to provide the necessary framework to assess the future effectiveness of the revised strategy.

The book offers a realistic assessment of experiences, trends, and outlook on the Information, Communications Technology (ICT) sector, with a focus on actual results and justified expectations. It attempts to track and analyze global ICT development trends, and to provide empirical evidence of the benefits that ICT is providing in terms of economic growth and poverty reduction. Indicators for the Millennium development Goals (MDG) targets, among others, have been incorporated into the ICT At-a-Glance tables compiled for this report. It contributes to the creation of a basis for more systematic monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of the progress and impact of ICT, and provides as well as useful insights on ICT for development in general. Besides consolidating all these M&E efforts and sharing of the findings with the development community, the report also includes analytical work that applies these data to a range of topics: investment trends, principles and practical solutions to extending ICT services, the role of ICT in doing business, trends in national e-strategies, and approaches to tracking ICT globally. Part I of the report assesses topics essential to developing ICT. It contains chapters on investment (chapter 2), access (chapter 3), diffusion and use (chapter 4), country policies and strategies (chapter 5), and targets, monitoring, and evaluation (chapter 6). Each chapter provides a theoretical and qualitative framework supported by quantitative evidence. Where limited data impede comprehensive economic analysis, a case study approach is used. Part II presents the new Bank ICT At-a-Glance tables for 144 economies, which show the most recent national data on key indicators of ICT development, including access, quality, affordability, efficiency, sustainability, and applications.

The study documents, and reviews the Chilean experience in rural telecommunications, by focusing on the principles, practical organization, basic design, and outstanding issues for extension of a more advanced form of approach to communication, and access to information. It examines in depth the results, and success factors of the Telecommunications Development Fund, established in 1994, a success largely due to the extensive reliance on market forces to determine, and allocate subsidies, to minimal regulatory intervention, and relatively simple processing. The design of the Fund proved robust, and remains the leading example of a cost-effective solution to reduce access gaps in basic communication in emerging economies. However, questions remain on the sustainability of services for the long run, on how to support the small, but still excluded rural population, and on potential, further needs in urban areas.

Wireless communications and sensing systems are nowadays ubiquitous; cell phones and automotive radars typifying two of the most familiar examples. This book introduces the field by addressing its fundamental principles, proceeding from its very beginnings, up to today’s emerging technologies related to the fifth-generation wireless systems (5G), Multi-Input Multiple Output (MIMO) connectivity, and Aerospace/Electronic Warfare Radar. The tone is tutorial. Problems are included at the end of each chapter to facilitate the understanding and assimilation of the material to electrical engineering undergraduate/graduate students and beginning and non-specialist professionals. Free temporary access to Keysight’s SystemVue system simulation is provided to further enhance reader learning through hands-on tutorial exercises. Chapter 1 introduces wireless communications and sensing and in particular how curiosity-driven scientific research led to the foundation of the field. Chapter 2 presents a brief introduction to the building blocks that make up wireless systems. Chapter 3 focuses on developing an understanding of the performance parameters that characterize a wireless system. Chapter 4 deals with circuit topologies for modulation and detection. In chapter 5 we cover the fundamental transmitter and receiver systems architectures that enable the transmission of information at precise frequencies and their reception from among a rather large multitude of other signals present in space. Chapter 6 introduces 5G, its motivation, and its development and adoption challenges for providing unprecedented levels of highest speed wireless connectivity. Chapter 7 takes on the topic of MIMO, its justification and its various architectures. Chapter 8 addresses the topic of aerospace/electronic warfare radar and finally Chapter 9 presents three Tutorials utilizing the SystemVue simulation tool.

Broadband projects nowadays represent a valid investment alternative to pursuing smart city goals, particularly considering the rapid development that has affected the telecommunications industry. However, for potential investors, the valuation of these projects is a demanding activity because they are characterized by the uncertainty of future user demands, the competition risk, and the sequential nature of investment. In this paper we propose an innovative methodology to valuate the broadband projects taking into account these three peculiarities. This model consists of combining the compound real options approach (ROA), able to price the sequential uncertain projects, with the Options Game (OG) approach used in the literature to valuate uncertain investments affected by competition risk. This paper contributes to the existing literature by expanding the OG model to fit the broadband characteristics in discrete time. We also propose a case study to implement the theoretical approach. Results show that, despite their uncertain nature and competition risks, broadband investments represent a profitable investment alternative when pursuing smart city goals.

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) assesses individuals' current experiences, behaviors, and moods as they occur in real time and in their natural environment. EMA studies, particularly those of longer duration, are complex and require an infrastructure to support the data flow and monitoring of EMA completion. Our objective is to provide a practical guide to developing and implementing an EMA study, with a focus on the methods and logistics of conducting such a study. The EMPOWER study was a 12-month study that used EMA to examine the triggers of lapses and relapse following intentional weight loss. We report on several studies that informed the implementation of the EMPOWER study: (1) a series of pilot studies, (2) the EMPOWER study's infrastructure, (3) training of study participants in use of smartphones and the EMA protocol and, (4) strategies used to enhance adherence to completing EMA surveys. The study enrolled 151 adults and had 87.4% (132/151) retention rate at 12 months. Our learning experiences in the development of the infrastructure to support EMA assessments for the 12-month study spanned several topic areas. Included were the optimal frequency of EMA prompts to maximize data collection without overburdening participants; the timing and scheduling of EMA prompts; technological lessons to support a longitudinal study, such as proper communication between the Android smartphone, the Web server, and the database server; and use of a phone that provided access to the system's functionality for EMA data collection to avoid loss of data and minimize the impact of loss of network connectivity. These were especially important in a 1-year study with participants who might travel. It also protected the data collection from any server-side failure. Regular monitoring of participants' response to EMA prompts was critical, so we built in incentives to enhance completion of EMA surveys. During the first 6 months of the 12-month study interval, adherence to completing EMA surveys was high, with 88.3% (66,978/75,888) completion of random assessments and around 90% (23,411/25,929 and 23,343/26,010) completion of time-contingent assessments, despite the duration of EMA data collection and challenges with implementation. This work informed us of the necessary preliminary steps to plan and prepare a longitudinal study using smartphone technology and the critical elements to ensure participant engagement in the potentially burdensome protocol, which spanned 12 months. While this was a technology-supported and -programmed study, it required close oversight to ensure all elements were functioning correctly, particularly once human participants became involved.