June 17th, 2015

“Broadband matters, but broadband for all matters more”, says Secretary-General Professor Tim Unwin

In his opening address at the Commonwealth Broadband Forum 2015 taking place this week (16 – 17 June) in Abuja, Nigeria the secretary-general of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, Professor Tim Unwin has called on Commonwealth governments to aim at achieving nothing less than broadband access and use for all.

“Broadband matters, but broadband for all matters more”, Professor Unwin said to government officials from some 15 countries taking part in the event.

In total, over 130 delegates are meeting at the event in the Nigerian capital city to discuss the impact broadband can have on the lives of citizens from the Commonwealth and beyond.

Participants at the event include ministers and their advisors, regulatory agencies, international organisations, network carriers and operators, universal service fund administrators, IT firms and civil society organisations.

This year’s event focuses on the theme “Broadband for All: From Access to Inclusion”, with dedicated sessions on:

• National broadband plans
• Regulatory strategies
• Cross-border connectivity
• Next-generation broadband services
• Universal broadband for all, and
• 4G

The event follows on from the success of the first Commonwealth Broadband Forum convened in 2014 in Kenya, which focused on utilising broadband for accelerated growth.