Connectivity and digital infrastructure (Infrastructure)

A) Active and passive infrastructure-sharing

Sharing network resources (wireline and wireless), backhaul, spectrum and fibre across sites brings in synergies and reduces network build costs. This can make the infrastructure deployment more economically viable. In many countries, regulatory bodies have given the go-ahead to communication service providers (CSPs) to engage in active and passive infrastructure-sharing. Similar regulatory measures would be especially beneficial in rural and remote areas. Furthermore, joint action by CSPs to implement the modalities stipulated in sharing agreements will further streamline the deployment of ICT networks.

Incentivizing passive infrastructure-sharing at the government level can be a key enabler and the CSPs can voluntarily engage in promoting this concept. National governments can provide technical assistance to municipalities and encourage the development and updating of local regulations that promote infrastructure-sharing, including simplified permitting processes for small cells and macro sites, and a radius of non-proliferation.

B) Business case

A shift towards longer-term horizons on infrastructure investments by private players would enable greater financial returns. This would also allow CSPs to cover the offline, hard-to-reach geographies and last-mile gaps. Policies, subsidies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), universal service obligations (USOs), and best practices can help improve business cases.  Other key aspects to consider are the social return and the contribution to sustainable development, which is becoming increasingly important.

C) Faster and more economical deployment

Enabling the ecosystem to build faster and at a competitive price is fundamental to achieving universal connectivity. Another key enabler is the availability of data and the mapping of existing network infrastructure to identify white spaces and prioritize coverage; also important is the sharing of information between the public and private entities to bring synergies in the effort to deploy ICT networks. Private parties or government agencies can ensure the availability of disaggregated data for creating national strategies and effective network deployment roll-out plans.

Streamlining processes to facilitate wireless and wireline communication networks and making sufficient spectrum available for a wide array of ICT technologies (terrestrial and space-based) and services are all key actions to speed up deployment cost-effectively. It is imperative to note that global coverage, with an adequate quality of service, should be prioritized over speed to avoid broadening the digital divide. However, the network needs to align with what the government defines as the basic minimum broadband speed for each user.

D) Neutral passive infrastructure

Opening the passive infrastructure roll-out to neutral parties can be beneficial as it allows faster progress and enables competitive pricing of the infrastructure. This allows the deployment costs to then be optimized. The introduction of regulations to remove the barriers facing passive infrastructure providers, particularly in countries where state-owned operators are the only providers, is a way to unlock this leverage.

E) Community collaboration and deployments

Having the necessary licence and security aspects in place to allow public and private players to operate community Wi-Fi services may go a long way toward expanding the reach of Internet accessibility. This requires support from regulators to create a conducive environment, as well as private players who are willing to deploy the networks. In a community collaboration model, a community rolls out the last-mile network and takes responsibility for its maintenance. The network is usually composed of simplified small cells, and satellite-enabled cellular or Wi-Fi sites, which are relatively easy to activate and maintain. Community involvement in the deployment and maintenance of the network results in lower costs for the operator, thus increasing their willingness to set up networks in rural areas. In an alternative version of this model, governments can allow an operator to count community networks towards its coverage obligations, and in exchange, the operator can provide backhaul at a reduced cost.

A) Reliable and sustainable energy

Reliable and sustainable energy interventions are imperative in meeting the need for expanding ICT infrastructure. Governments are investing in increasing the energy index, which measures on one hand the energy equity to ensure universal, reliable, affordable and abundant access; and on the other hand, the energy security to meet current and future demands. Simultaneously, they can leverage the ICT infrastructure to meet some of the demand. Tower companies can be encouraged with attractive policies and subsidies to use renewable energy sources (e.g. solar) and offer power to communities, increasing their energy access and security.

B) Micro-energy grids

Micro-grids as self-sufficient energy systems may potentially provide a solution to low electrification rates across the developing nations including the LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. A micro-grid is “a local energy grid with control capability” that can work autonomously to both produce power and supply it to remote communities. [22] Small and often isolated, micro-grids have the ability to easily harness renewable energy sources and could constitute at least part of the answer to the electrification problems. The autonomy of micro-grids means that they avoid some of the negative aspects of larger power grids, such as rolling blackouts. In many developing nations, governments are eagerly implementing micro-grid technology in areas without pre-existing infrastructure.

While last-mile mobile and fibre networks will continue to be the mainstay of ICT network deployment, space-based technologies are now part of the mainstream. Satellite broadband communication is becoming a major enabler of providing connectivity and Internet services. Many private players are launching satellites in geostationary satellite orbit (GSO) and non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) segments. Going forward, it will be important to integrate mixed-technology landscapes in national strategies/plans, streamline the licensing procedure for satellite broadband spectrum availability, and make policy changes to foster growth.

Satellite connectivity is cost-competitive for remote and dispersed populations where fibre deployments are challenging. The new generation of LEO and high-throughput GEO satellitesare likely to lower the cost structure even further. Satellite users are expected to multiply 2.5 times by 2029, and 90 per cent of these new users will be in emerging regions [24]

Combining satellite broadband communication with other technologies has the potential to solve some of these issues; however, but it is not yet being deployed on a large scale. Satellite connectivity along with terrestrial networks can enable the development of an extensive gateway infrastructure which can then act as a hub for providing multiple services like community Wi-Fi and MSME connectivity.

A) Spectrum allocation

Spectrum is a key but scarce resource needed for the deployment of ICT services. It is essential that proactive steps are taken to enable the objectivity of universal connectivity, particularly with regard to spectrum. Effective spectrum management has a direct bearing on the quality and affordability of mobile services. Management activities that can be undertaken include:

• allocating a sufficient amount of internationally harmonized spectrum for IMT;
• ensuring that there is a balance in allocations between licensed, license-exempt, and satellite IMT; and
• working through the ITU Radiocommunication Sector to ensure that there are appropriate rules to mitigate interference while minimizing constraints on the deployment of services.

Policies and regulations stipulating key criteria (e.g. minimum speeds to qualify as broadband, basic standards for safe and trusted connections and user empowerment, and pricing control for devices) are required to outline an avenue for “meaningful connectivity”. These need to be aligned with national digital strategies and roadmaps defined by governments. To successfully implement both policies and strategies as well as ease approval processes and decision-making, strong inter-departmental coordination by governments and in the public-private partnership (PPP) environment is imperative. In addition, adapting public financial instruments to new business models of ICT (e.g. cloudification) will be an important enabler.  It is also critical to consider that while general principles may be similar, there is no fit-for-all intervention. The approaches and interventions must be tailored to the specific country’s needs and reality on the ground.