Some 134 national broadband plans are now in place around the world. Opinions are divided regarding the role of government in broadband markets: should the government act as an ‘enabler’ or as the ‘rule-maker’? In this context, this article analyses the ambitious national broadband plans recently announced by China and India, two rising economic powerhouses. Traditionally, China's telecommunications development has been driven by investments from government-allied entities and a strong industrial policy, while India's approach has relied on government policy to create the framework for private investment with a limited range of subsidies on the supply side. We trace the antecedents of the different policy approaches adopted by the two countries towards their respective broadband sectors, compare and contrast the motivations that have driven them to draft the national broadband plans and evaluate the effectiveness of government policies and regulations.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BellocF.2012, ‘Whither Policy Design for Broadband Penetration? Evidence from 30 OECD Countries’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 36, no. 5, pp. 382–98.
EskelinenH.2008, ‘Does Strategy Matter? A Comparison of Broadband Rollout Policies in Finland and Sweden’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 32, no. 6, pp. 412–21.
6.
FalchM.2007, ‘Penetration of Broadband Services: The Role of Policies’, Telematics and Informatics, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 246–58.
7.
FriedenR.2005, ‘Lessons from Broadband Development in Canada, Japan, Korea and the United States’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 29, no. 8, pp. 595–613.
8.
GulatiG.J.YatesD.J.2012, ‘Different Paths to Universal Access: The Impact of Policy and Regulation on Broadband Diffusion in the Developed and Developing Worlds’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 36, no. 9, pp. 749–61.
9.
HarwitE.2007, ‘Building China's Telecommunications Network: Industrial Policy and the Role of Chinese State-owned, Foreign and Private Domestic Enterprises’, China Quarterly, no. 190, pp. 311–32.
10.
HarwitE.ClarkD.2001, ‘Shaping the Internet in China: Evolution of Political Control over Network Infrastructure and Content’, Asian Survey, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 377–408.
11.
JainR.2014, ‘The Indian Broadband Plan: A Review and Implications for Theory’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 278–90.
12.
LauT.Y.2005, ‘An Examination of Factors Contributing to South Korea's Global Leadership in Broadband Adoption’, Telematics and Informatics, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 349–59.
13.
LiuC.2012, ‘The Myth of Informatization in Rural Areas: The Case of China's Sichuan Province’, Government Information Quarterly, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 85–97.
14.
LooB.2004, ‘Telecommunications Reforms in China: Towards an Analytical Framework’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 28, nos 9–10, pp. 697–714.
PicotA.WernickC.2007, ‘The Role of Government in Broadband Access’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 31, nos 10–11, pp. 660–74.
19.
RosemanD.2005, ‘The WTO and Telecommunications Services in China: Three Years On’, Info, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 25–48.
20.
ShiJ.2008, ‘Telecommunications Universal Service in China: Making the Grade on a Harmonious Information Society’, Journal of Technology Law & Policy, vol. 13, pp. 115–48.
State Council2013, ‘The Circular of the State Council on Printing and Distributing the Broadband China Strategy and its Implementation Plan (State Council [2013] No. 31)’, www.gov.cn/zwgk/2013-08/17/content_2468348.htm
XiaJ.2010, ‘Linking ICTs to Rural Development: China's Rural Information Policy’, Government Information Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 187–95.
27.
XiaJ.LuT.2008, ‘Bridging the Digital Divide for Rural Communities: The Case of China’, Telecommunications Policy, vol. 32, nos 9–10, pp. 686–96.
28.
YeoY.2009, ‘Between Owner and Regulator: Governing the Business of China's Telecommunications Service Industry’, The China Quarterly, vol. 200, no. 1, pp. 1013–32.
29.
ZhangB.2002, ‘Understanding China's Telecommunications Policymaking and Reforms: A Tale of Transition Toward Liberalization’, Telematics and Informatics, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 331–49.
