Only a handful of countries have universal telecommunication services. Today 5.6 billion people have 650 million telephones -- 80% of them in 20 advanced countries. Over 4 billion people, mostly in developing countries, have no access to telephone service. Telephone density is directly proportional to gross national product: rich countries with high telephone density consistently improve their production base. The key question is "Do you have lots of phones because you are rich or are you rich because you have lots of phones?" Developing countries are eager to increase their telephone density in search of prosperity.
Properly used, telecommunications can bring about democratization, decentralization and social transformation in many developing countries , improving openness, accessibility, accountability, connectivity and networking of people and ideas. Through telecommunications local events become national and national events become international.
Telecommunications in developing countries has high unsatisfied demand, long waits for access, poor service, networks and maintenance and lacks equipment, technology, management and money. It competes for resources with water, literacy, agriculture, housing and other sectors. But many recognize the need to create wealth due to and in telecommunications by building institutions and infrastructure necessary to develop technology, products and services for the coming information age.
Unfortunately telecommunications is increasing, not bridging, the gap between the countries of the North and the countries of the South. The gap widens through lack of access to technology, management and funding. Developing countries today need approximately $30 billion a year to build appropriate infrastructure to move into the information age of tomorrow. Where is it going to come from? What is the cost of its lack to global development? These issues will be discussed in detail based on personal experience.
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Modified: Jun 24, 1997|
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