For as many technological advancements have occurred in the last few years, internet access is still a problem in both developed and developing countries.
The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development reports that the world will not even achieve 50 percent internet use until the end of 2018. If the world maintains current internet user growth rates – a big if – we won’t approach 100 percent global internet adoption for another 20 years.
A new report published by the World Economic Forum makes the case that governments should think beyond closing the digital divide to investing in the development of a robust digital ecosystem that can facilitate participation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This paper recognizes that the traditional binary view of connected versus unconnected individuals is nuanced. National internet ecosystems are at different levels of maturity, measured not just by the number of users but also by data throughput, quality of service, and latency. Higher maturity levels come with economic benefits but also demand significant investments. To address this, perspectives are included on alternative financing models designed to make such investments more practical.
Read the full report here.
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