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SOUTH KOREA: THE IMPACT OF OPEN COMPETITION National broadband plans can have a big impact as well. Research by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Cisco Systems shows that such plans lead to 7.4 percent higher mobile Internet penetration, on average. History also shows that competitive markets speed both broadband and mobile penetration. The ITU/Cisco study found that countries with competitive markets have mobile penetration rates that are 26.5 percent higher than average.One of the biggest infrastructure constraints (common to both developed and developing markets) is the availability, allocation, and use of mobile spectrum--the bands of radio waves over which data and voice communications (as well as other over-the-air media) travel. Lack of harmonization at the regional and international levels--meaning, for example, that the same operator's 3G network operates on different bands of spectrum in different countries or in different regions of the same country--leads to significant inefficiencies and higher costs. The GSMA estimates that by 2020, better harmonization could add $370 billion to GDP and 112,000 new jobs in Latin America, and $49 billion to GDP and 506,000 jobs in sub-Saharan Africa. North Africa could realize an additional $50.5 billion in GDP and 4 million jobs by 2025.Beyond the direct economic impact, there are also social benefits stemming from greater mobile Internet penetration and usage. These include improved education, health care, and nutrition. By 2017, better distribution of life-saving information could save 1 million lives in sub-Saharan Africa through avoided malaria, HIV, and perinatal conditions. Using mobile technologies to track food deliveries, monitor food temperature, and optimize delivery routes could save enough food to feed 40 million people (the population of Kenya) in 2017--simply through reduced spoilage.The App Economy development Mobile apps--the software programs that perform designated functions on a mo