Directorate for Science, Technology and Innovation
Broadband policy and technology developments
The promotion of widespread, affordable, and high-quality broadband is a prerequisite
for the digital transformation of economies and societies. Foreseeing the role of
broadband as an accelerator of economic, social and cultural development, the OECD
adopted the Council Recommendation on Broadband Development in 2004. Since then, important
developments have taken place in broadband technologies and markets. As part of the
review of the 2004 Recommendation undertaken from 2018 to 2020 and resulting in the
adoption of the revised 2021 OECD Council Recommendation on Broadband Connectivity,
this report examines the evolution of broadband technologies, policies and regulation
to foster broadband developments since 2004 as well as the benefits of, and challenges
to, accelerating these developments to further enable digital transformation and inclusive
growth.