Fibre can transform society but only if governments are prepared to give a helping hand

Source: Smart Cities World Published: July 27, 2020

Fibre broadband has been the foundation of innovation in modern times, driving communication, knowledge and the sharing of ideas at high speed. However, too many enterprises and citizens are not able to tap into its advantages, leaving society worse off as innovation is stymied.

Only nine Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development members have high speed fibre accounting for more than half their broadband connections. Korea leads the way with 82 per cent and Japan in second place with 79 per cent of total connections. The Nordic region fares particularly well, with four countries in the top 10.

At the other end of the scale, some large economies’ fibre provision is less impressive. France has only 20 per cent penetration, Australian 19 per cent, and the United States 16 per cent. Germany and the United Kingdom’s performances are even less impressive, at four per cent and two per cent respectively.

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