Access to telecommunication services rose on an unprecedented scale over the past two decades. This growth was driven primarily by wireless technologies and liberalization of telecommunications markets, which have enabled faster and less costly network rollout. Mobile communications have a particularly important impact in rural areas. The mobility, ease of use, flexible deployment, and relatively low and declining rollout costs of wireless technologies enable them to reach rural populations with low levels of income and literacy. The next billion mobile subscribers will consist mainly of the rural poor. Access is the key to delivering telecommunications services to people. If the service is not affordable to most people, goals of universal usage will not be met.

Over the past decade new financing and technology, along with privatization and market liberalization, have spurred dramatic growth in telecommunications in many countries. With the rapid development of mobile telephony and the global expansion of the Internet, information and communication technologies are increasingly recognized as essential tools of development, contributing to global integration and enhancing public sector effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency.
Fixed broadband sub-basket (US$ per month)
Where several offers are available, preference is given to the cheapest available connection that offers a speed of at least 256 kbit/s and 1 GB of data volume. If providers set a limit of less than 1 GB on the amount of data that can be transferred within a month, then the price per additional byte is added to the monthly price so as to calculate the cost of 1 GB of data per month. Preference should be given to the most widely used fixed (wired)-broadband technology (DSL, cable, etc.). The sub-basket does not include installation charges, modem prices or telephone-line rentals that are often required for a DSL service. The price represents the broadband entry plan in terms of the minimum speed of 256 kbit/s, but does not take into account special offers that are limited in time or to specific geographic areas. The plan does not necessarily represent the fastest or most cost-effective connection, since often the price for a higher-speed plan is cheaper in relative terms (i.e. in terms of the price per Mbit/s).
Fixed broadband sub-basket is the price of the monthly subscription to an entry-level fixed broadband plan. For comparability reason, the fixed broadband sub-basket is based on a monthly usage of (a minimum of) 1 Gigabyte (GB). For plans that limit the monthly amount of data transferred by including caps below 1 Gigabyte, the cost for additional bytes is added to the sub-basket. The minimum speed of a broadband connection is 256 kbit/s.
Fixed-broadband sub-basket refers to the price of the monthly subscription to an entry-level fixed broadband plan. For comparability reason, the fixed broadband sub-basket is based on a monthly usage of (a minimum of) 1 Gigabyte (GB). For plans that limit the monthly amount of data transferred by including caps below 1 Gigabyte, the cost for additional bytes is added to the sub-basket. The minimum speed of a broadband connection is 256 kbit/s.

Prices are reported and collected in national currency and then converted to USD. Prices include taxes.