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09-Jan-2008
The Internet is part of everyday life for a billion people and is driving major changes in people's lives. This study analyses the use of Internet and broadband in detail, showing that people’s socio-economic standing has a direct bearing on how they use the Web.
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09-Jan-2008
Policy makers everywhere want to know about the social and economic impacts of ICT. This paper examines what official statistics tell us about these impacts and suggests areas for future work.
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30-Nov-2007
Can you remember life before the Internet? Though quite a new technology, for many of us a world without the web has become as unthinkable as a world without telephones. But what of the future? Can the benefits of this extraordinary technology be multiplied, and how can the thornier challenges be met?
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28-Nov-2007
RFID technology is increasingly used in a wide range of tracking and tracing applications. This study compares the implementation of RFID across a range of different sectors. Previous studies have either assessed related benefits and challenges on an aggregated level, or focused on one sector or specific application. This study is based on leading companies in Germany that are early adopters of RFID technology or undertaking pilot or implementation projects. It draws on in-depth interviews with early adopters from a broad range of industry sectors, academics and research institutes.
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06-Nov-2007
This portal provides a wide range of broadband indicators on penetration rates, usage, geography, prices, speeds and services. For example, the 221 million broadband subscribers in the OECD area spend an average of USD 49 per month for broadband and receive an average advertised connection of 13.7 megabits per second. The portal can be found at www.oecd.org/sti/ict/broadband.
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06-Nov-2007
The OECD recently invited public comments on issues such as convergence, innovation and trust, all of which will be discussed at the June 2008 OECD Ministerial Meeting on the Future of the Internet Economy. This consultation provided an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to contribute to the discussions from a wide range of viewpoints and expertise. Responses are now available on line.
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26-Sep-2007
Can governments elevate their broadband performance rankings? This paper aims to identify the factors that are significant in driving broadband penetration.
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25-Jul-2007
The second Roundtable on economics for consumer policy (click here for a report on the first) brought academics and senior government officials together to examine the nature of failures in markets where supply-side competition is deemed to be effective. It considered the economic theories of information disclosure, focusing on two major industry sectors – telecommunications and financial services. How policies addressing demand side failures could be strengthened was considered.
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19-Jul-2007
Consumers enter into contracts covering a wide range of purchases – health care, housing, financial investment, telecommunication services and leisure services are some examples. In addition, with the increasing convergence of financial arrangements and consumer activities in modern life, consumers are prone to take on longer-term commitments. The OECD report on contracts takes a close look at how governments in different countries help protect the interests of consumers when they sign such contracts.
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16-Jul-2007
OECD Member countries have agreed common principles aimed at providing consumers with effective mechanisms to resolve their disputes and obtain redress for economic harm resulting from transactions with business. The new framework, which applies to disputes arising in both a domestic and cross-border context, is aimed at strengthening consumer trust on-line and at helping them benefit from e-commerce advantages.
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