Wider Broadband Helps Growth, But Not Like Battling Some Illnesses

Expanding broadband Internet access may produce more global economic benefit than tackling HIV or preventing deforestation, but wouldn’t match gains from improving nutrition for kids or eradicating malaria.

The Copenhagen Consensus Center, a non-profit group that asks teams of economists to study global development initiatives, found that expanding wired broadband networks to reach 30 percent of the world’s people by 2030, up from 10 percent now, would generate $21 of economic benefit for every $1 spent. Earlier studies by the center found that $1 spent to alleviate childhood malnutrition would do $45 of good, while $1 spent on malaria would produce $35 of benefit. Each $1 spent to treat and research vaccines for HIV would generate $11 of gains. Expanding broadband access through wireless networks would be cheaper than building fixed wireline networks, however the benefits would be smaller, according to the group’s latest study.