Asia ICT

Although India has long dominated information technology outsourcing (ITO), the Philippines is fast making up ground by carving itself a place as an alternative destination for offshore IT service providers.

Cabinet approval for Mongolia’s first satellite in late 2012 makes clear the height of the country’s ambitions for improving information and communications technology (ICT) provisions. Although a satellite launch is an ambitious objective, improving on-the-ground infrastructure will prove to be just as significant, and as challenging.

The information and communications technology (ICT) regulator for Papua New Guinea (PNG) has recommended the principal fibre-optic connection be made available to all internet service providers (ISPs) for direct sale as broadband products with the aim of opening up the internet market. However, PNG Telikom says it needs more consultation with the body and that at least one more fibre-optic cable is needed to meet ICT ambitions.

The mobile telephony market in Mongolia is fast maturing, with expanding 2G and 3G coverage set to drive up connections and penetration surpassing 100% by the end of the year.

The sale of nine 3G licences in an auction in mid-October raised Bt41.6bn ($1.35bn) for Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), heralding the long-awaited introduction of more advanced data services in the telecoms industry. There are concerns, however, that the bandwidth prices were set too late and will not encourage competition among providers.

Over the past decade of economic growth, India has worked hard to position itself as a pioneer of low-cost manufacturing. Where once the whole world marvelled at the Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car, the Indian government is hoping that it will once again attract international attention with the world’s cheapest tablet computer, the Aakash-2.