The Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) said yesterday it aims to achieve 80 percent high-speed Internet coverage nationwide in 2012.
The investment plan, part of the “Intelligent Taiwan” project to strengthen the country’s technology infrastructure, aims to raise broadband Internet connections from the present 45 percent to 80 percent, the council said.
The Cabinet has yet to approve the spending program, but it was not expected to stir much controversy since Intelligent Taiwan is one of the 12 “I-Taiwan” projects President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) proposed to create job opportunities and spur economic growth.
The council said increasing broadband coverage could help boost the online shopping market, which was valued at NT$134 billion (US$4.11 billion) in 2006 and rose by 80 percent to NT$139 billion at the end of last year.
In comparison, the global online shopping market amounted to US$640.7 billion in 2006 and grew 22 percent to US$782 billion last year, the council said.
The European Commission earmarked 1 billion euros (US$1.47 billion) last year to achieve 100 percent high-speed Internet coverage for its citizens by next year as part of the economic recovery plan.
While domestic online shopping took off late, the scale of the market has expanded steadily and its value was expected to approach NT$311.6 billion this year, the council said, predicting that online auctions would account for NT$142.7 billion.
The global figure is forecast to reach US$830.3 billion this year and US$951.4 billion next year, rising an average of 10 percent over the past five years, the council said.
The council declined to say how much would be needed to create the infrastructure needed to expand broadband coverage, saying more time was needed to finalize details.
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