GDP vs Broadband

Let's be clear as to why the governments of the world want better broadband for their citizens: There was a great push from the industry to highlight the positive correlation between GDP and broadband availability (Google: GDP vs Broadband) to them. "If you do research and know exactly what you're going to find, it's not called research. It's called marketing." (TED: All good research is improbable)

Correlation does not mean causation, and I would wager that most of these studies were guided and funded by the communications industry or their stakeholders. There's a two way relationship: Higher GDP may well lead to higher broadband penetration, much like electricity creates wealth, creates power, quite literally (Wikipedia: Energy Consumption).

Although focusing on the one may well lead to the other, perhaps it would be more useful to dig into the reasons behind it.

Which I will do in the coming weeks.