Improving Price Transparency for School Connectivity: A Data-Driven Framework
Scope
Team
Overview
The project builds a structured database of school connectivity contracts and a standardized methodology to make internet pricing transparent and comparable. By measuring offers on consistent terms, it helps governments benchmark costs, detect outliers, and negotiate stronger, more cost-effective contracts.
Background
The internet has transformed education, yet many schools remain offline. Connecting more of them requires greater transparency in connectivity pricing to ensure more efficient investments. The project aims to bridge this information gap by building a database of school connectivity contracts and uncovering pricing disparities. With better information, governments and their partners can plan investments more effectively and negotiate stronger deals.
Research Questions
What is the average price schools pay for internet connectivity in a given country or region?
How do prices vary between schools with similar characteristics, e.g., size, location or type?
Can pricing transparency drive stronger competition among providers and lower costs for schools?
KEY INSIGHTS
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Internet connectivity can be priced very differently, even in similar settings. Comparable markets pay several-fold different prices for fixed broadband (ITU), and the same disparities can exist between schools within a single country.
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Prices change rapidly - in Nigeria, fixed broadband prices fell roughly ten-fold between 2009 and 2024 (ITU), meaning older contracts can quickly become overpriced.
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Without transparent benchmarks, schools that overpay for the same service simply go unnoticed. Visibility into pricing is therefore the first step toward stronger contracts and better-planned investments.