Telecommunications infrastructure and economic growth: Evidence from developing countries (original) (raw)
Related papers
2007
In this study, we investigate empirically the relationship between telephone penetration and economic growth, using data for developing countries. Using 3SLS, we estimate a system of equations that endogenizes economic growth and telecom penetration. We find that the traditional economic factors explain demand for mainline and mobile phones, even in developing countries. We find positive impacts of mobile and landline phones on national output, when we control for the effects of capital and labor. We discuss the associated policy implications related to improvement of telecom penetration in developing countries. JEL Classification: O47, O57, L96, H54
2013
Often, it has been observed that telecommunication infrastructure development and economic growth proceed together. While this relationship has been studied in the context of developed (OECD) countries, in this study, we investigate this simultaneous relationship between telecommunications and the economic growth, using data for developing countries. Using 3SLS, we estimate a system of equations that endogenize economic growth and telecom penetration (respectively production function and demand for telecom services), along with supply of telecom investment and growth in telecom penetration. We estimate this system of equations separately for main telephone lines and cell phones. We find that while traditional economic factors explain demand for main line phones, they do not explain demand for cell phones. We also find significant impacts of cellular services on national output, when we control for the effects of capital and labour. The impact of telecom penetration on total output i...
Telecommunications and economic growth
International Journal of Social Economics, 2000
In an emerging global economy the ability of the telecommunications sector to provide an internationally competitive network for transferring information has significant implications for trade and economic growth. Because of recent large world‐wide investments in telecommunications infrastructure, quantifying the impact of telecommunications in economic growth has received much attention. However, economic analysts, in the absence of investment data for many developing countries, adopt the International Telecommunications (ITU) practice of using main telephone lines to measure the stock of telecommunications capital. The accuracy of this proxy has not been subject to careful statistical scrutiny. This study develops a supply‐side growth model which employs teledensity and the share of telecommunications investment in national income as telecommunications capital proxies. Estimation results suggest a significant positive cross‐country relationship between telecommunications capital a...
Telecommunications and economic growth: an empirical analysis of sub-Saharan Africa
Applied Economics, 2012
We examine the effect on economic growth of mobile cellular phones in sub-Saharan Africa where a marked asymmetry is present between land-line penetration and mobile telecommunications expansion. This study extends previous ones along two important dimensions. First, we allow for the potential endogeneity between economic growth and telecommunications expansion by employing a special linear generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator. Second, we explicitly model for varying degrees of substitutability between mobile cellular and land-line telephony, so that greater expansion of mobile telecommunications can have a different impact whenever the level of land-line penetration differs. We find that mobile cellular phone expansion is an important determinant of the rate of economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, we find that the contribution of mobile cellular phones to economic growth has been growing in importance in the region, and that the marginal impact of mobile telecommunication services is even greater wherever land-line phones are rare. Given the low cost of mobile telecommunications technology relative to other broad infrastructure projects, especially land-line infrastructure, we advocate that mobile telecommunication services be encouraged in the area. ♣ The findings, recommendation, interpretation and conclusion expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily reflects the view of the Department of Economics of the Universidad del Rosario
Telecommunications Policy, 2011
This paper assesses the growth impact of telecommunications infrastructure investment in developing countries by subjecting country-specific data on mainline teledensity and per capita growth to a Granger causality test within a panel cointegration framework. The results suggest that growth effects vary widely across country groupings reflecting different levels of development. Mainline tele-density and per capita growth strongly reinforce each other for countries that are relatively less developed. The reinforcement effect is even stronger for emerging countries that can be identified by their higher than average growth rates. In contrast, there is, at best, weak evidence of bi-directional causal links between the two variables for countries that are relatively more developed. These differences in the mainline tele-density and per capita growth relationships suggest that investment in telecommunications infrastructure, with its potential to generate high growth return, may serve as the critical tool for driving the growth and development process forward in the less developed countries.
Mobile teledensity and economic growth: A case of Sub-Saharan Africa (1988-2010)
2014
The need for an efficient, modern telecommunication sector is now regarded as crucial to economic growth in transition countries. Various studies have given conflicting findings on the relationship between economic growth and telecommunication. This calls for a thorough investigation on the role, relationship and, direction of causality between mobile telephone growth and economic growth. The objective was of the study was to determine the relationship between mobile teledensity and economic growth. To achieve the objectives, the study adopted the neoclassical growth model developed by Solow and Swan (1956).Using relevant diagnostic tests, Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) method of estimation was used on the panel data from 44 of Sub-Saharan Africa countries (1988 to 2010), the study found out a two-way causality for mobile teledensity and economic growth. The study proposes that the respective governments of sub-Saharan countries should implement policies that enhance the development of the telecommunications sectors in their respective countries.
This study examines the effect of telecommunication development on economic growth in five leading ICT developed countries for African region. Following previous studies, teledensity (or the penetration rate) is defined as the number of fixed-lines and mobile phone subscribers per 100 persons as a proxy to measure the development of the telecommunications sector, while economic growth is proxied by Gross domestic product at current prices (US dollars). After ensuring data stationarity, the Granger causality test shows no causal relationship between mobile and fixed teledensity and economic growth. In spite of this, the OLS test clearly shows that telecommunication development in Africa has a positive and significant influence on economic growth.
Telecommunication Infrastructure Development and Economic Growth: A Panel Data Approach
The Pakistan Development Review, 2008
World is going to be global village due to the introduction of new and advanced technology and new innovations in technology make it more possible day by day. The widely spread economic activities both in real as well as in credit market is possible when they use advance technology to communicate. This is a fact that the world is rapidly moving towards an economic system based on the continuous and ubiquitous availability of information. Developing countries try to maintain and develop their technology in such a way that they can become a part of this global village. Recent developments in telecommunication technology have been an important tool to exchange the information to develop a sharp and valuable commodity market. During 21st century to move into post-industrial, information based economic growth, countries and sector try to equip themselves with the necessary telecommunication system. A modern telecommunication infrastructure is not only important for economic growth but al...