Telecommunications

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are no longer considered a luxury in the developing world, where an estimated 70 percent of the population has access to fixed or mobile telephone services. Thanks to substantial investment, mobile network subscriptions in developing countries have expanded from 200 million to 3.7 billion. Internet users grew more than tenfold between the years 2000 and 2010.

ICTs are strong enablers of economic growth, boosting employment and productivity across all sectors. They are also an important direct source of revenue, representing well in excess of 5 percent of GDP in many countries. In addition, they can deliver numerous social benefits.