The Great Upheaval: Resetting Development Policy and Institutions in the Decade of Action in Asia and the Pacific

“The Great Upheaval: Resetting Development Policy and Institutions in the Decade of Action in Asia and the Pacific,” from the United Nations Development Programme, examines the strengths of the Asian-Pacific response to the COVID-19 pandemic and weaknesses that the region must re-engineer to rebound. Chapter Three, “Accelerating Universal Digital Connectivity,” argues that new technology goals should reflect where technology is going, not where it is today or where it was a decade ago. Regulatory, marketplace and technological hurdles impede current efforts to achieve universal affordable broadband access across the Asia-Pacific Region. Technological options do exist to deliver cost-effective, affordable connectivity to underserved communities. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of different approaches that both the private and public sectors could adopt for financing the extension of affordable broadband access.