Internet Users Hit 1.5bn

Internet Users in a cafe Mobile telephone subscribers have reached an all time high of an estimated four billion users worldwide, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has said in a report entitled, “Trends in Telecommunication Reform 2008”.

ITU- a United Nations telecommunications arm further said the world also counts over 1.5 billion Internet users, a growing number of which use fixed and mobile broadband services.

The ITU said in developing countries such as Chile, Senegal and Turkey, broadband subscribers represent over 90 percent of all Internet subscribers.

The report said this year has seen an unparalleled global financial crisis which may make it more difficult for investors to obtain financing for continuing network development. 

It emphasised that sharing strategies are seen as conducive for infrastructure development in the telecommunications/ICT sector, particularly in light of the deepening global financial crisis.

“Sharing strategies are increasingly necessary to ensure that operators can deploy their networks at low cost while guaranteeing that consumers have access to affordable services,” said Sami Al Basheer, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Development Bureau.

Sharing strategies include the sharing of civil engineering costs in deploying networks, promoting open access to network support infrastructure (poles, ducts, conduits), essential facilities (submarine cable landing stations and international gateways) as well as access to radio-frequency spectrum and end-user devices.By Felix Dela Klutse