A stable economic and political climate and foreign direct investment could drive the implementation of WANs (Wide Area Networks) throughout Asia, especially in China and India, a research report said Thursday.Growth in WAN use will be slow but steady, increasing to US$18.57 billion in 2012 from $17.41 billion in 2005, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of just under 1 percent, according to a report by research firm Frost & Sullivan.China and India are driving WAN growth, due to Internet uptake by small and medium-sized businesses and their demand for reasonably priced bandwidth. Foreign investment in those markets, in part due to BPO (business process outsourcing), is also driving that growth, Frost & Sullivan said.The two markets are expected to account for 18.1 percent of total WAN revenue for the region by 2010, the report said. The biggest challenge for Internet service providers (ISPs) offering WAN services will be declining prices and therefore revenue, especially in developed markets such as Japan and Hong Kong.“The overall WAN services market still remains highly price sensitive,” Frost & Sullivan said, stating that price declines were eclipsing the growth in demand in some markets. -Steven Schwankert, IDG News Service (Beijing Bureau)Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content BrandPost Leadership superpower: Succeeding sustainably As today's great leaders recognize, true success is not solely measured by the bottom line but also by the impact a business has on its stakeholders, including employees, partners, and the environment. By Marie Kalliney, Practice Leader, Digital Transformation Services, Broadcom Mar 28, 2023 5 mins IT Leadership BrandPost Helping the C-suite leverage their network as a business-boosting asset By Tanya O'Hara Mar 28, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership Opinion 5 hard questions every IT leader must answer Strong leadership is vital to IT success — and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Continual self-reflection is essential for knowing whether it’s time to restructure your approach to leading IT. By Thornton May Mar 28, 2023 5 mins Business IT Alignment IT Leadership Feature CIOs address the impact of hybrid work Assessing how some of the most progressive CIOs strive to provide both technological and emotional support for a dispersed workforce. By Pat Brans Mar 28, 2023 8 mins CIO Remote Work Employee Experience Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe