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Telecommunications OECD hits back at broadband stats inaccuracy claims
Telecommunications OECD hits back at broadband stats inaccuracy claims | OECD hits back at broadband stats inaccuracy claims |
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| Written by Stuart Corner | |
| Thursday, 17 May 2007 | |
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Page 2 of 3 The OECD Working Party that produces data on broadband statistics is comprised of national telecommunication regulators and ministry officials from the 30 OECD countries. This composition provides access to official broadband data sources that can otherwise be difficult to assemble. Without direct contact with regulators and member governments it is possible for researchers to miss relevant, official data. One of the other striking examples of outdated data in the report is the Czech Republic. The OECD receives official broadband data every three months from the Czech Ministry of Informatics http://www.micr.cz. Market Clarity's most recent data from the Czech Republic was from 2005, nearly 18 months old and a full year older than the official data that the OECD reported last month for December 2006. There are many countries where the OECD data from official sources is more recent than Market Clarity was able to locate. Market Clarity's use of estimates instead of official data provided to the OECD ensures there will be differences in subscriber totals and the findings of the report in general. Another key discrepancy in the report is the treatment of 3G mobile subscribers which are dealt with as a separate indicator in the OECD methodology. The Market Clarity report includes 3G mobile subscribers in the United States for June 2006 (11 million) and wonders how these could be omitted from the OECD figures. Contacting the OECD would have provided a ready explanation. The OECD and its member countries have agreed not to include these data in this particular indicator. This does not advantage or disadvantage the United States' ranking as these data are similarly excluded for all countries. Indeed, if Market Clarity had been consistent in their treatment of 3G mobile across countries then the additional 3G mobile subscribers for Korea (36 million) and Japan (48 million) would dwarf all other countries and give Korea a combined broadband penetration rate of 103 subscribers per 100 inhabitants – more broadband subscribers than people. The OECD recognises the need for a new indicator on mobile broadband but there are significant methodological issues that first need to be carefully examined. |
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