UN calls for broadband cap at five per cent of average monthly incomes

The UN Broadband Commission for Digital Development has unveiled four key broadband targets that it wants governments around the world to achieve by 2015.

The first of the four goals focuses on ensuring that all nations develop a national broadband plan, while the second urges governments to ensure that broadband services are affordable for all citizens. It suggested this should be five per cent of average monthly incomes.

The organisation also wants 40 per cent of households in developing countries to have internet access, along with 15 per cent of homes in the world's least developed countries.

Hamadoun Touré, secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and co-chairman of the Commission, explained that meeting the goals will require work from all sectors.

"These targets are ambitious but achievable, given the political will and commitment on the part of governments, working in partnership with the private sector," he said.

The ITU will take responsibility for measuring each nation's efforts at meeting the targets. It will produce an annual broadband report ranking countries on their broadband policies, affordability and uptake by citizens.

The plans are another in a long line of goals outlined by separate organisations. The European Commission (EC) wants all households to be able to access broadband services of 30Mbit/s by 2020 and half on 100Mbit/s by 2015.

The EC announced recently that it is hoping to secure funding of €9.2bn to help nations across the region reach these goals.

The UK government, meanwhile, wants 2Mbit/s connections for all by 2015 and for 90 per cent of the population to have access to 25Mbit/s by the same deadline.