Recently HIP Consult had the opportunity to visit Togo and Gambia to meet with public and private sector ICT stakeholders as part of the World Bank – International Finance Corporation (IFC) Digital Infrastructure Initiative (DII). DII is a global undertaking spanning more than 50 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, which aims to increase access to, and uptake of, broadband Internet and other digital services in underserved markets.
Leveraging extensive broadband and other ICT-related research across emerging markets, DII considers how the wider ecosystem of infrastructure, connectivity and value-add service providers impact each country’s market structure and competitive environment. This also takes into account regulatory and demand-side considerations in an analysis of broadband assets for insights into potential market gaps and bottlenecks to identify opportunities for greater broadband connectivity.
““By supporting broadband business models that promote shared infrastructure, DII will reduce entry barriers and deployment costs in the telecommunications sector, increase affordability, and enable the development of digital economies.””
“Each market faces unique challenges based on its legacy structural, investment and competitive dynamics,” noted Judah J. Levine, Chief Executive Officer of HIP Consult. “This initiative seeks not only to reveal gaps and opportunities across the digital ecosystem, but also to identify practical steps to engage and help expand the reach and affordability of services.”
HIP Consult has supported DII efforts in Africa and the Middle East. For more information, please contact us at info@hipconsult.com.