Five year project to research economic benefits of 3G rollout

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 11 June 2009 08:29

IT Industry - Strategy

Curtin Business School's Communication Economics and Electronic Markets Research Centre is participating in a five-year multi-million dollar study to assess the benefits of 3G wireless services saying that there is a direct link between the timely adoption of 3G mobile technologies and economic growth.

The research is being led by the director of the centre, Professor Gary Madden. It will analyse current 3G mobile usage and subscription intentions using consumer data from Thailand, Sweden and Japan. The data will be gathered from surveys to be conducted in conjunction with prominent universities in those countries with funding from various telecommunications organisations in those countries.

According to Madden, “There is a direct link between the timely adoption of 3G mobile technologies and economic growth, and government policies that delay the investment process can cause substantial economic loss. Thailand has lagged in the adoption of 3G technology, Sweden has adopted some 3G, while Japan’s take up of 3G has been comprehensive."

The research aims to "produce a unique insight into the potential for economic development from adopting 3G technology in a country like Thailand," Madden said.

The Thailand national market survey is currently underway, funded by the National Telecommunications Commission and coordinated by Thammasat University’s International Cooperation Study Centre.

The Swedish survey, to be undertaken in September, will be overseen by the Department of Technology Management and Economics at Chalmers University of Technology. The Japan survey will be led by the Graduate School of Information and Telecommunications Studies at Waseda University, Japan and funded by Japanese mobile telephone provider NTT DoCoMo.

The project will be discussed at the International Telecommunications Society’s 4th Africa-Asia-Australasia Regional Conference to be held at Curtin’s Bentley Campus on 16–18 August 2009.