This paper focuses on the performance of the World Bank Group's activities in the telecommunications sector during the 1990s, using data on telecommunications rollout and reform as well as data on WBG's projects. The data suggests that World Bank projects are associated with progress in telecommunications reform and an increase in the growth rate of telecommunications networks. The data also suggests that International Finance Corporation (IFC) projects are associated with more rapid rollout of telecommunications services at the national level. This note looks at the success of WBG in fostering reform and improving teledensity in client countries on a crosscountry basis. It also evaluates the impact of projects on rollout of telecommunications services as a result of reform. WBG ICT projects are associated with significant improvements in the environment for private, competitive provision of services in developing countries. These results of the study are preliminary, using simple techniques and imperfect data. Nonetheless, it is fair to say that World Bank projects appear to be associated with progress on the telecommunications reform agenda and with faster rollout of services as a result. IFC projects also appear to be associated with faster rollout of services. While the lion's share of credit should be attributed to the governments that implement the reforms and the companies that provide the services, this evidence suggests that the WBG's project work facilitated the rapid rollout of telecommunications services to the citizens of its client countries over the last 10 years.
Details
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Author
Kenny, Charles Lewin, Anat
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Document Date
2004/05/01
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Document Type
Brief
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Report Number
88239
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Volume No
1
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Total Volume(s)
1
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Country
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Region
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Disclosure Date
2014/05/22
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Disclosure Status
Disclosed
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Doc Name
The World Bank and telecommunications lending
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Keywords
information and communication technology;measure of reform;telecommunications reform agenda;introduction of competition;success of reform;extent of competition;telecommunications service;competitive provision;project datum;digital divide;telecommunications network;leased line;public phone;institutional change;telephone service;exclusivity right;public provider;privatization variable;market opening;telecommunications sector;successful privatization;independent regulation;cross-country study;telephone line;private finance;public monopoly;private telecommunication;study of factors;poor household;annual investment;global change;mobile subscribers;average data;cross-country evidence;telecommunications indicators;project impact;
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Citation
Kenny, Charles Lewin, Anat
The World Bank and telecommunications lending (English). Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/784661468326957442/The-World-Bank-and-telecommunications-lending