The OECD Communications Outlook 2011 examines recent developments in the communications sector, which has emerged from the global financial crisis with a resilience and underlying strength reflecting its critical role in today’s economies.

This new edition covers developments such as the emergence of next generation access networks and the exhaustion of unallocated IPv4 addresses, and aims to provide an overview of efforts on the part of countries to promote competition and foster innovation in communication markets through regulation. It also examines the issues surrounding broadcasting markets, Internet infrastructure, communications expenditure and use by households and business, and trends in telecommunications services.

For more information on trends in information technology, globalisation and the impact on the way people live and work, refer to the OECD Information Technology Outlook (www.oecd.org/sti/ito), published every other year.