Digital Media - The Dynamic Digital Economy

Synopsis

A positive outcome from the financial crisis was that it resulted in global attention turning to new infrastructure developments; facilitating a unique opportunity to shift the broadband emphasis from a high-speed Internet service to a national infrastructure for the digital economy that will underpin a range of positive social and economic developments. These developments are also referred to as the Internet of Things, of which the digital economy will play a key role.

E-commerce is just one sector that will benefit from improvements in infrastructure and a trans-sector approach to governance; e-government, e-health, e-education, social media and e-science are also important elements of a digital economy. This report outlines the key elements and considerations required to grow the digital economy further.

Latest developments:

In June 2011 the OECD highlighted that the strength and dynamism of the Internet depends on its ease of access to high speed networks, openness, and on user confidence. For this to happen it agreed upon a number of basic principles for Internet policy; making this an important step in ensuring that the Internet remains open and dynamic.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. The issue is the digital economy, not broadband
• 3. Infrastructure essential for the digital economy
  • 3.1 The Internet of Things (IoT)
• 4. Can we fast-track the digital economy?
  • 4.1 The OECD on the Internet Economy
  • 4.2 The relationship between local content, internet development and access prices
• 5. Key sectors for the digital economy
  • 5.1 Background information
  • 5.2 Smart grids and the environment
  • 5.3 E-commerce
  • 5.4 E-government
  • 5.5 E-health
  • 5.6 E-education
  • 5.7 Social media
• 6. Key requirements of the digital economy
  • 6.1 Broadband
  • 6.2 Trans-sector approaches
  • 6.3 Open access
  • 6.4 Internet neutrality
• 7. Conclusion: digital economy services
• 8. Related reports

• Table 1 – Worldwide connected devices
• Table 2 – Worldwide telecom statistics at a glance – 2012

• Chart 1 –Worldwide market share of M2M connections – 2011; 2020

• Exhibit 1 – Digital economy – key developments
• Exhibit 2 – Faster broadband speeds offer more than just fast internet
• Exhibit 3 – Explanation – optical fibre
• Exhibit 4 – Selected examples of countries with planned ICT infrastructure investment