EAP - The Pacific Infrastructure Challenge - World Bank (2006).pdf
EAP - The Pacific Infrastructure Challenge - World Bank (2006).pdf
EAP - The Pacific Infrastructure Challenge - World Bank (2006).pdf
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Appendix A: <strong>Infrastructure</strong> Sector Analysis<br />
A.1 Telecommunications Sector Analysis<br />
This section reviews the performance of each of the <strong>Pacific</strong> countries and outlines<br />
possible reasons for relatively good or relatively poor performance. It discusses the<br />
extent to which performance of telecommunications services can be explained by<br />
economies of scale. Services reviewed include local and international voice telephony,<br />
mobile and internet services.<br />
Access<br />
Teledensity (defined as telephone lines per 100 people) is a key indicator of access to<br />
telecommunications services. Figure A.2 compares the total teledensity (fixed and<br />
mobile connections) of the <strong>Pacific</strong> and comparator countries. Figure A.3 illustrates a<br />
breakdown of teledensity by mobile and fixed line components.<br />
Total teledensity is low in most <strong>Pacific</strong> countries. Of the countries reviewed, only Fiji<br />
and Palau have over twenty connections per 100 people. Access levels are also low<br />
when compared with GDP per capita. None of the <strong>Pacific</strong> countries reach the<br />
Philippines level of access, for example, even though their income levels are similar.<br />
Among the <strong>Pacific</strong> countries, only Fiji and Tonga have teledensity levels that<br />
correspond with their GDP per capita according to this trend line.<br />
Figure A.1: Total Teledensity vs GDP per Capita<br />
120<br />
100<br />
New Zealand<br />
Barbados<br />
80<br />
Jamaica<br />
Total teledensity<br />
60<br />
Mauritius<br />
St Kitts<br />
40<br />
Dominica<br />
St Lucia<br />
Grenada<br />
Palau<br />
Philippines<br />
Fiji<br />
20<br />
Tonga<br />
FSM<br />
Samoa<br />
Marshal Islands<br />
Kiribati<br />
Vanuatu<br />
Solomon Islands<br />
Timor-Leste<br />
0<br />
- 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000<br />
GDP per Capita<br />
Source: ITU Data 2002 (Fiji, Marshall Islands and Vanuatu data 2003), Timor-Leste teledensity from<br />
Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization, 2004<br />
Notes: PNG: Papua New Guinea, FSM: Federated States of Micronesia<br />
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