Archive for March, 2008

The Digital Divide & IGADD

{ March 14, 2008 @ 6:43 pm } · { Assignment }
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We are living in a time where the phenomenon exists of the digital divide. The fact that not everyone has access to and is not benefiting from digital technologies creates problems in the face of globalization. Therefore, solutions have to be thought of to narrow the gap between the people who have access to new technologies and those who have not. IGADD, the Investor Group against Digital Divide, collaborates with governments to share costs and risks of bringing broadband to everyone. This is an important initiative, which recognizes that action has to be taken now, before it’s too late.

So here’s what the world looks like today in terms of world internet penetration rates. As of December 2007, 71.1% of North America is connected to the internet, with Oceania/Australia coming in second with 57.1% and Europe third with 43.4%. On the opposite end there’s the Middle East with 17.4%, Asia with 13.7% and Africa with a mere 4.7%[1]. These are huge differences that not only show how big the digital divide is, but also that we have a lot of work to do!

So why is it important that we do something? First and foremost, globally we are driven by new technologies. Almost everything we do today is related somehow to the internet. We are being informed online about issues on our economy, legislation, and events across the world. Many of us are being educated online, and communicate online daily with clients, vendors, customers, colleagues, peers, friends, and family. Then there’s e-commerce, too, that plays a large part in our lives. Our world is getting smaller through new technologies, and if you’re not participating in this, you’re basically left out.

Luckily, statistics show that over the last several years, internet penetration has seen a large increase, even in the areas where penetration is low. In fact, of the three regions where penetration is the lowest, two of them show the largest growth globally; Africa with 882.7% and the Middle East with 920.2%! However, considering that these rates reflect the growth between 2000 and 2007, and that the penetration rates mentioned earlier reflect the situation as of December 2007, it still means that we are nowhere close to being done.

IGADD found that the digital divide is widening, rather than narrowing. So even if some regions in the world show an incredible growth with regard to access to the internet, if it’s widening it means that other regions have a continuous growth, as well, and it is hard to keep up with this growth for those places where internet is still scarce. Speaking of scarcity, IGADD believes that the best staging ground for the innovations needed to close the digital divide is in Indonesia, the fourth largest country in the world. It, for some reason, was excluded in Asia from the surge in technology, but actually has great potential due to its democratic society, its openness to foreign investment, and its source of intergovernmental investors that can help generate subsidies[2]. In Indonesia they plan to close the digital divide through a model that formulates business models, policies, and the like, needed to achieve a reduction of preexisting pricing structures and to commercialize a new line of products geared to low-income consumers in emerging markets.  With this, investors are shown how to get a good return on their investments supporting ICT’s that serve the poor, and how alliances between them and governments and NGO’s benefit poverty-alleviation and market development agendas. This model was implemented in Thailand, which proved very successful and later led to other project including One Laptop per Child.

The digital divide is a problem, but luckily governments collaborate with investors and NGO’s to jointly work on this. Though it may take years for the effects to show, it is important that we do something now. Globalization affects everyone, and no one should be left out.

[1] Source: www.internetworldstats.com

[2] Source: www.digitaldivide.org

VoIP Plans

{ March 11, 2008 @ 12:55 pm } · { Assignment }
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After hearing so much about VoIP, I decided to take a closer look and see what it would cost me.

Vonage offers some different plans, from basic ($14.99 a month) to unlimited ($24.99 a month). Given that I would only get Vonage to call to Europe (after all, I have free minutes already to call anywhere within the U.S.), I looked more closely at the unlimited plan, as it was the only residential plan that mentioned international calling. Apparently, with this plan you already get free minutes to certain European countries such as the U.K. and France. Unfortunately, the Netherlands and Germany aren’t included, which are the two countries I would call the most. So, I would have to get an add-on package if I want this to be an affordable option for me. They have five different international calling plans with a cost varying from $6 a month to $15 a month, depending on which countries you would want included in your plan. For the Netherlands and Germany the Basic World Plan of $6 a month would suffice, so the total monthly cost (before taxes, fees, etc.) would be $30.99. The first month is more expensive, however, with some additional fees you’d have to pay, such as activation fees, shipping and handling, and the adaptor to make it all work (although you’re not forced to purchase this through them directly). With Vonage you are able to keep your current number (provided you have one, of course), but you are also able to choose any available area code within the U.S.

Speakeasy works in a similar way, but is much more expensive (could that be why I hadn’t heard of it before?). Or, that was my first thought. They actually offer plans that include broadband service, so even though a price of $83.90 a month might scare you away, you have to realize that you will no longer have your current monthly fee through your broadband provider – this will now go through speakeasy. They also offer plans of VoIP in combination with DSL or cable, which are a little bit cheaper, BUT these don’t include the “worldwide free calling” (which is free to 22 countries really…). I wondered what you could do if you didn’t want broadband, DSL, or cable through them. Apparently, you can also get a “simple” VoIP line that cost about $34 a month. Unfortunately they don’t advertise this very well, so I couldn’t find too many details on it. I guess they just want you to sign up for the broadband, as well! Just like Vonage, speakeasy also lets you keep your current number, if you so choose.

There is still something about VoIP that makes me hesitant about signing up. I worry that there are some hidden fees that they don’t tell you about unless you happen to ask the right questions. With Vonage that worry isn’t that prevalent, since it seems like they have a lot of information on their website. But, on speakeasy.com this isn’t the case. Maybe excluding information isn’t intentional on their part, but it seems odd that we are so used to finding everything on the internet and then coming across this site that doesn’t follow this standard. I just want to know what I’m getting myself into… without any BS. Doesn’t seem possible yet…

Final Comments on Analysis

{ March 7, 2008 @ 2:56 pm } · { Assignment }
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Most websites have some sort of interactive component in their design that allows and encourages readers to do an activity with the news they read. It has become clear to me, however, that we’re nowhere near where I think we should be with regard to consistency throughout news organizations. This is especially true when you consider that the consumer has become more demanding in quality.

That being said, I feel that the Knoxville News-Sentinel was by far the best website among the six I looked at. This had mostly to do with the design, easy navigation, and the professional look I was hoping to find. I’m not a big fan of typical gossip papers or magazines, so that ruled out a couple of websites that had a gossipy feel to it and had very busy looking imagery. My senses like being tickled, but on some of these sites there was a big, BIG sensory overload.

I was happy to see that all sites had RSS feeds. Though very basic, given other options that are out there, at least it’s something. My suggestion for all online newspapers is to look at your competition. Having a large subscriber base no longer has to do with just news quality, but also with other aspects (i.e. your WEBSITE!). So please, look around, and find out what your target audience is interested in. I don’t believe for one second that an online paper is only interested in having high school students as its audience, but their site would certainly suggest that…

Who, really, is on the wrong side of the digital divide?

{ March 5, 2008 @ 10:22 pm } · { Extra-Credit }
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According to the stats provided by Andy Carvin in “New Govt Report Exposes the School-Home Digital Divide” there is a digital divide. This is something we all know. However, he presents some data that most kids in school have internet access, no matter what their background is (race, parents’ education, gender). He also presents data that as soon as these kids go home, many of them no longer have access. But if the same kids have access in school, does that still mean that they are on the “wrong” side of the digital divide? Isn’t the point of the digital divide to separate the people with internet access with those without? And if they do have access somewhere, then shouldn’t they really should considered on the “right” side? And this brings me to another point… everyone (at least in the U.S.) is able to go to a public library. After all, it’s public. My guess is that a very big majority of libraries have internet access these days, so you could argue that basically everyone in the U.S. is on the right side of the divide.

So the question really isn’t whether we should do something about the digital divide, but whether we should get more people internet access at home. Or at least, that’s my interpretation of it. But why would we put so much effort in achieving this? There are plenty of people out there who don’t own a DVD player, or a simple coffee maker. Should we, then, also do something about the entertainment or caffeine divide?

VoIP

{ March 5, 2008 @ 9:53 pm } · { Reading }
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For many years I have been toying around with the idea of using VoIP, mostly because it would be an affordable way to keep in touch with my family in Europe. I’ve always had some doubts, however, that came from an insecurity to use this new form of communication. What if it doesn’t work on moments when it counts? And should I really be investing money in VoIP that may or may not be there in a few years?

For about a year I have been using VoIP at work, and overall I am pleased with it. The only glitch I see and have experienced is total loss of communication abilities. If the network goes down, it really goes down, and there’s not much you can do about it. That being said, I now do think there’s a future for this technology and suspect that it might eventually take over the “oldfashioned” way of making phone calls. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if the regular telephone will be like dial-up, and eventually disappear. VoIP is very flexible, and even though there are still some kinks that need to be worked out, the fact that my company, a Fortune 1000 corporation, has chosen to implement VoIP throughout the company all across the world is quite impressive.

  • How long will it take for VoIP to completely take over regular phone systems?
  • According to Howstuffworks, geographic location is not determined by using VoIP, perhaps endangering citizens when making 911 calls. What are some other dangers to society with this new technology?
  • What groups of people will be most negatively impacted by a full implementation of VoIP?

People and the Internet

{ March 3, 2008 @ 9:23 am } · { Reading }
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Cyberspace has come a long way over the years. Right in the beginning it was still fairly expensive, thus not accessible to everyone. But as time went by and the cost went down more and more people were able to afford it. So here we are today with so many “lily pads,” as Michael Best describes it, that many people now in rural areas, for example, are able to use the internet, as well. This is great news, especially with regard to the attempt to eliminate the digital divide – to get more people access to the internet.

I’m not sure what is meant by accessibility standards. Is it using WLAN or WMAN as a standard? By looking at the chart that Best provides on global Wi-Fi policies, it becomes pretty obvious that different countries maintain different national policies when it comes to using wireless LAN’s. If we want to do something about the digital divide, isn’t it crucial to streamline policies across the world?

I wonder what will happen if everyone got access to the internet, even those people who live in rural areas and don’t live according to the western ideologies on capitalism that dominate the Net.

  • What advantages does it have to get access to the internet for people in remote areas whose lives are “off the grid?”
  • What is the ultimate goal of connecting the world together through the Internet?
  • How much money are we willing to give up to connect poor people to the Internet?