The Internet Divide in Asean Economics – Bernama

The Internet Divide in Asean Economics – Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) — A report on “Unleashing the Potential of the Internet for ASEAN economies” revealed that the Internet has become more pervasive with the cost of not going online is only set to rise.Many countries in the ASEAN region still suffer from poor Internet coverage, low bandwidth and unaffordable access, said the authors of the report Internet Society (ISOC) and consulting and research firm TRPC in a statement issued today in Manila, the Philippines.

The ASEAN governments have made some progress in recent years through various e-government projects. However, Internet penetration across the region varies widely and the cost of digital divide is profound.

The report was released during the ‘ISOC-TRPC Rethinking the Digital Economy‘ forum in Manila.

The report also identified the concrete steps necessary to unleash the potential of the Internet and transform the 10 ASEAN member economies (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) into a highly competitive, single market and production base.

Against the backdrop of the Asean Economic Community (AEC), the report highlights that countries should look beyond basic connectivity and focus on the interconnectivity of the Internet. This will underpin the economic integration and social inclusion in the ASEAN region and usher in the digital economy.

“The ASEAN region represents over 600 million people and is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, with a projected real average GDP growth rate of 5.4 percent per annum between 2014-2018. As a single entity, it would represent the seventh largest global economy.

“In order to take advantage of this economic power and realize the AEC’s goals, the region will need to look beyond basic connectivity and focus on the interconnectivity of the Internet, which will underpin the economic integration and usher in the digital economy,” explained Rajnesh Singh, the Internet Society’s Regional Bureau Director for Asia Pacific in the same statement.

–BERNAMA

View the original article here [Bernama, 25 Mar, 2015]

Related Articles

Economic Impact Report: Driving digital growth in Vietnam with Google

Economic Impact Report: Driving digital growth in Vietnam with Google

Vietnam’s economic development journey has been impressive. From one of the world’s lowest-income countries, Vietnam has risen to become a...

14 Nov 2024 General
Transforming Trade: The E-commerce Revolution in ASEAN

Transforming Trade: The E-commerce Revolution in ASEAN

Global cross-border e-commerce is growing, fuelled by digitalisation and rising consumer demand. Global B2C e-commerce sales have more than doubled...

13 Nov 2024 Reports
2024 CCAPAC Report: AI and Cybersecurity

2024 CCAPAC Report: AI and Cybersecurity

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into various sectors across the Asia-Pacific region, cybersecurity risks are growing in complexity....

18 Oct 2024 Reports
The State of Healthcare Supply Chains in APEC: A Year-in-Review

The State of Healthcare Supply Chains in APEC: A Year-in-Review

Healthcare companies across APEC have made big moves to strengthen their resilience in 2023. As a follow-up to our study...

4 Oct 2024 Reports