Identifying best practices for supporting broadband growth: Methodology and analysis

This paper presents a methodology for identifying best practices followed by various countries worldwide for supporting broadband growth. It also investigates and analyzes these practices using data concerning broadband penetration, access technologies, market, prices and services for OECD countries during the period 2004–2006. The methodology used to locate the best practices is based on three main steps: (a) the presentation of the main factors that have a major impact on broadband growth; (b) the definition of what is a “best practice” based on quantitative criteria and (c) the calculation of a best practice index and a good practice index, which indicates that a country followed these best or good practices to support its broadband growth, respectively. This methodology indicated that Denmark, United States, Japan, Canada and Republic of Korea followed best practices for their broadband growth, while United Kingdom and the Netherlands followed good practices.