Brunei  Darussalam  National  Broadband  Policy       Ensuring  accessibility  to  broadband  connectivity  for  all   Building   a   nationwide   world-­‐class   fibre-­‐to-­‐the-­‐home   broadband   network   will   enable   all   citizens   of   Brunei  Darussalam  to  access  world-­‐class  broadband  technology.  It  is  an  important  step  towards  realising   our  vision  of  a  smart  society  and  enhancing  our  international  competitiveness.   A   key   part   of   the   Brunei   Darussalam   development   agenda   under   Wawasan   Brunei   2035   is   a   well-­‐ developed   social   and   business   infrastructure   that   plays   a   major   role   towards   increasing   the   nation’s   competitiveness   and   attractiveness   as   an   investment   destination.   The   increased   penetration   and   use   of   broadband  and  broadband-­‐enabled  services  can  help  to  stimulate  growth  in  GDP.  Some  studies  estimate   that  for  every  10  percentage-­‐point  increase  in  broadband  penetration  per  capita,  there  is  an  increase  in   economic   growth   of   almost   1.4   percentage   points.   Investment   in   telecommunications   infrastructure   is   particularly   beneficial   when   there   is   already   a   substantial   network   infrastructure   in   place,   as   exists   in   Brunei   Darussalam.   In   countries   that   already   have   a   high   broadband   penetration,   the   estimated   annual   impact  on  GDP  of  deploying  fibre-­‐based  next  generation  access  networks  is  estimated  to  be  between  0.08   to   0.20   per   cent   of   GDP.     Other   research   focused   on   OECD   economies   has   shown   that   a   doubling   of   broadband  speed  can  increase  GDP  growth  by  0.3  per  cent  on  average.   To   maximise   the   opportunity   for   economic   development   through   broadband,   it   is   necessary   to   ensure   that  all  Bruneian  homes  and  businesses  have  access  to  high-­‐speed  broadband  services  by  2017.  This  will   be  an  enabler  for  increased  competitiveness  and  innovation  in  many  industries  and  enhanced  social  and   economic  interaction,  making  ICT  a  key  driver  for  economic  growth.  This  objective  is  consistent  with  the   strategic  thrusts  of  the  ASEAN  ICT  Master  Plan  and  its  desire  for  the  region  to  become  an  ICT  hub.       While  market-­‐led  broadband  growth  is  critical  to  GDP  growth,  to  stimulate  the  full  economic  potential  of   a   broadband   enabled   society   requires   targeted   investment   by   Government.   With   the   fund   of   BND  230  million,   the   Government   envisages   a   broadband   sector   that   is   conducive   for   a   more   active   participation  of  the  industry  players.  Through  policy  and  regulatory  initiatives,  the  Government  hopes  to   foster  a  competitive  and  facilitative  environment.   In  parallel  with  the  Government  initiatives,  TelBru  has  invested  BND  65  million  to  deploy  FTTH  broadband   network  in  Madang,  Gadong,  and  Bandar  Seri  Begawan.  It  is  expected  that  the  rollout  to  these  areas  will   reach   80   per   cent   of   premises   by   the   end   of   2014.   Further   deployment   in   other   areas   is   currently   underway.       Connecting  homes  to  broadband  is  the  ultimate  guarantee  of  access  and  inclusiveness  as  it  ensures  that   all  Bruneians  can  access  the  Internet  and  make  use  of  broadband-­‐enabled  services.       To   ensure   transparency   and   the   successful   delivery   of   this   important   project,   the   Authority   for   Info-­‐ communications  Technology  Industry  (AITI)  will  oversee  the  network  rollout  by  TelBru  and  its  contractors,   and  will  track  and  report  publicly  on  the  progress  with  the  rollout  on  a  dedicated  website.       Wireless   technologies   also   play   an   important   part   of   a   national   broadband   infrastructure   because   of   their   ease  of  deployment  and  their  lower  cost,  which  are  particularly  important  in  rural  areas  and  in  areas  with   low  population  densities  or  low  traffic  volumes.  To  ensure  that  sufficient  spectrum  resources  are  available   to   support   the   deployment   of   wireless   broadband   technologies,   AITI   will   make   additional   spectrum   available  in  the  700  Mhz  and  2.6  Ghz  bands.     In   the   interests   of   “universalising”   broadband,   AITI   will   also   review   the   scope   of   the   universal   service   regime  and  consider  expanding  it  to  ensure  technology  neutrality  and  the  inclusion  of  broadband  access.     5