The International Telecommunication Union’s Broadband Commission for Digital Development has agreed on a set of four 'ambitious, but achievable' new targets that countries around the world should strive to meet in order to ensure their populations ‘fully participate in tomorrow's emerging knowledge societies.’

The new targets cover broadband policy, affordability and uptake:

Making broadband policy universal. By 2015, all countries should have a national broadband plan or strategy or include broadband in their Universal Access / Service Definitions.

Making broadband affordable. By 2015, entry-level broadband services should be made affordable in developing countries through adequate regulation and market forces (for example, amount to less than 5% of average monthly income).

Connecting homes to broadband. By 2015, 40% of households in developing countries should have Internet access.

Getting people online. By 2015, Internet user penetration should reach 60% worldwide, 50% in developing countries and 15% in Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

"These targets are ambitious but achievable, given the political will and commitment on the part of governments, working in partnership with the private sector," said Dr Hamadoun Touré, ITU Secretary-General, who serves as co-Vice Chair of the Commission alongside UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. The Commission is co-chaired by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Carlos Slim Helú, Chairman and CEO of Telmex and América Movíl.

Geneva-based ITU will undertake responsibility for measuring each country's progress towards the targets, producing an annual broadband report with rankings of nations worldwide in terms of broadband policy, affordability and uptake.

Story filed 26.10.11