South Korea and Japan

UK can learn from South Korea and Japan in broadband development...

A new report highlights lessons for the UK from these leading ICT markets

Intellect, the trade body for the UK high tech industry, co-ordinated a DTI Global Watch mission to South Korea and Japan in November and December 2005.

The Mission report: ‘Exploiting the Broadband Opportunity: Lessons from South Korea and Japan’ was launched at a Seminar on 29 March, held in London by the DTI in association with Intellect.

Through a series of presentations from the mission participants and a Q&A Panel Session, this event reported back the mission findings, highlighting the impact that the widespread deployment and take-up of advanced broadband services is having on the market for content, applications and services in Korea and Japan.

High population densities, ethnic homogeneity and distinct cultural characteristics have helped the rapid deployment and take up of broadband and broadband enabled services in Korea and Japan. However, while these factors make these markets distinct from the UK, there are many lessons that can usefully inform the UK, which faces similar challenges as broadband-enabled technologies drive convergence.

The report focuses on four key findings and concludes with recommendations so the UK can fully utilise on the continued growth of broadband services:

• Focused ICT policies drive progress towards convergence
• Ambitious network solutions are being developed to deliver policy aims
• Broadband is driving growth in the market for innovative rich content
• Next Generation Networks are leading to disruptive convergence