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Sustainability

Letters to the G20

Drive universal connectivity to facilitate digitalization and unlock societal benefits

The case for digitalization

The B20 – or Business 20 – is the official G20 engagement group representing the global business community. It delivers concrete recommendations and policy actions to meet G20 Presidency priorities.

Connectivity a pre-requisite for digitalization

Ericsson has co-chaired the B20’s digitalization taskforces at B20 Saudi 2020, B20 Italy 2021, B20 Indonesia 2022 and B20 India 2023 contributing its expertise across fields spanning connectivity, learning and skills, as well as cyber security.

The priorities of G20 presidencies and engagement groups shift, yet recognition for digitalization’s ability to meet presidency priorities and deliver societal gains remains constant.

Equally constant has been the clarion call from the B20 digitalization taskforces to speed the rollout and uptake of high-performing, high-capacity connectivity which is a prerequisite for digitalization.

Achieving universal connectivity and bridging the digital divide has been the first and foundational recommendation from the recent taskforces in Italy, Indonesia and India.

Making universal connectivity a reality

How can we speed universal connectivity and close the digital divide?

The first recommendations of the recent taskforces has broadly asked for the rollout of high-capacity, future-proof connectivity to be sped up through incentivizing private sector network investments.

Removing infrastructure deployment barriers, promoting the use of global, open standards, and ensuring fair competition underpinned by a stable, predictable and consistent regulatory framework form part of this.

Accelerating and amplifying private sector efforts by phasing out sector-specific taxes and where necessary, applying targeted, technology neutral tax incentives and public funding to complement private investments has also been an important focus of the discussions and recommendations.

Why universal connectivity matters

Digital transformation is increasingly a global engine of sustainable economic growth. Taskforce Co-Chair Hans-Paul Bürkner and Deputy Co-Chair, Mikael Bäck, provide a glimpse into the B20 and why universal connectivity matters today more than ever and what we can achieve if we apply exponential technologies across all sectors, everywhere.

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