Emerging markets discuss mobile broadband

MOBILE

ICT Ministers from emerging economies met in Barcelona this week to map mobile broadband strategies.

The Ministers met at a high-level summit hosted by Alcatel-Lucent during the Mobile World Congress.

Alcatel-Lucent noted that governments play an essential role in the adoption of mobile broadband, recognizing the societal, economic and competitive benefits of implementing robust and effective regulatory frameworks to allow the development of infrastructure, networks and the commercial marketplace in their countries.

Within this context, the roundtable event – Reinventing The Rules For Mobile Internet – saw ministers and regulators from Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Kenya, Nigeria and Lebanon sharing their perspectives on the evolution of the digital economy in their respective countries.

The debate also encompassed the essential regulatory needs for mobile telecommunications in the adoption of next-generation technologies, including 4G LTE, to foster digital inclusion and the development of applications to enhance education, youth employment and social engagement amongst local communities and across large geographies.

Panellists in the session included Bitange Ndemo - Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information & Communications of Kenya and Omobola Johnson - Minister of Information & Communication Technology of Nigeria.