Broadband and telecom

Extending Broadband Connectivity in Southeast Asia

This report assesses the current state of connectivity in Southeast Asia and provides tailored recommendations for extending broadband access, focusing on five countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. The analysis builds upon the OECD Recommendation on Broadband Connectivity, which provides a reference for policy makers and regulatory authorities within and outside of the OECD. Using the principles of the Recommendation as a roadmap, countries may be better able to unleash the full potential of connectivity for the digital transformation and to ensure equal access to connectivity for all users.

Available from December 15, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Foreword	Read PDF
Executive summary	Read PDF
Setting the scene for broadband policy recommendations for Southeast Asia	Read PDF
Extending broadband connectivity in Cambodia	Read PDF
Extending broadband connectivity in Indonesia	Read PDF
Extending broadband connectivity in Singapore	Read PDF
Extending broadband connectivity in Thailand	Read PDF
Extending broadband connectivity in Viet Nam	Read PDF

Highlights

Policy recommendations

Building on the principles of the OECD Recommendation on Broadband Connectivity, this report provides insights for future communication policies in Southeast Asia by deep-diving into five countries, representative of the region: Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. Each chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the broadband market and regulatory framework of each of the five representative countries and offers tailored policy recommendations.

While some recommendations may be more relevant for certain SEA countries, several overarching policy recommendations apply more broadly and are presented below:

1. Independence. Strengthen the independence of regulatory bodies that oversee the communication sector.

2. Competition. Conduct regular competition assessments of communication markets.

3. Participation. Facilitate private sector participation (foreign and national) by amending or removing restrictions where they exist.

4. Streamlining. Streamline administrative processes to ease infrastructure rollout.

5. Coordination. Promote coordination of civil works and infrastructure sharing between communication networks and other infrastructures, such as roads or electricity grids.

6. Synergies. Leverage synergies between public policy initiatives to increase coverage and adoption of services, particularly by improving digital literacy.

7. Data publication. Publish open, verifiable, granular and reliable data on network quality.

8. Resilience. Promote policies to strengthen communication infrastructure for uninterrupted connectivity.

9. Sustainability. Promote sustainable networks and encourage operators to report regularly on the environmental impacts of networks.

10. Assessment. Regularly assess the state of connectivity to enable evidence-based policy adjustments and targeted interventions.

Broadband and telecom

Extending Broadband Connectivity in Southeast Asia

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