World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database 2007

As stated on the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) website, this regularly updated database of information and communication technology (ICT) indicators includes: "... time series data for the years 1960, 1965, 1970 and annually from 1975-2007 for around 100 sets of telecommunication statistics (updated) covering telephone network size and dimension, mobile services, quality of service, traffic, staff, tariffs, revenue and investment. Data for 2007 are available for selected indicators such as main (fixed) telephone lines in operation, mobile cellular subscribers, internet users and internet subscribers. Selected demographic, macro-economic and broadcasting statistics are also included.

Data for over 200 economies are available. Notes explaining data exceptions are also included. The data are collected from an annual questionnaire sent out by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the ITU. Additional data are obtained from reports provided by telecommunication ministries, regulators and operators and from ITU staff reports. In some cases, estimates are made by ITU staff; these are noted in the database.

This database uses the latest version of the World Bank’s *STARS* data retrieval system, WIN*STARS v5.0. It has an improved user interface, better navigation and display of HTML pages, ability to launch Adobe PDF and MS Excel files within the browser, percentage change and index functions, multidimensional “pivot-table” view and export, multiple country table views, combined definition, source, and footnote information, mapping, map printing and saving, a choice of data selection techniques, and several data export formats."

The database is available either for one-time purchase (single issue) or as an annual subscription. The one-time purchase is available either via the CD-ROM or as a download via the Internet. The annual subscription is available either via the CD-ROM or via the Internet and can be accessed for a period of one year starting from delivery of the access key. The subscription service is available for single-user or multi-user licenses.

Updates and revisions of the data will be posted to the ITU website approximately every three months. Subscribers are entitled to BDT Market Information and Statistics (STAT) reference services such as clarification of data, sources and methodology used."