 | Issue: | Global-ICT 2003 |
| Article no.: | 12 | |
| Topic: | IT Isn’t just Technology, Its A Way of Changing Lives | |
| Author: | Sebastiano Tevarotto | |
| Title: | Vice President and General Manager | |
| Organisation: | Hewlett-Packard Network and Service Provider Business | |
| PDF size: | 140KB |
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Article abstract
Leading edge communications technology is a chance to expand the limits on people’s lives by enabling individuals to reach out to others. The more technology advances, the more humanizing it can become. The digital inclusion of millions of new users is a profound opportunity for societal evolution that will pay dividends for generations to come. What is needed is the rapid transfer of technology – and the skill sets that goes with it – to the citizens of developing nations.
Full Article
In the rush to celebrate the latest technological marvel or benchmarking milestone, it’s sometimes easy to forget that what every feat of engineering actually represents is a chance to expand the limits on people’s lives. As communications technology advances, it enables individuals to more effectively reach out to others, bringing them into spheres of contact where time and distance fade. It is a seeming paradox that the more technology advances, the more humanizing a force it can become, but this is precisely the case. Around the world, individuals from the developing nations of Asia, Africa, eastern Europe and the Americas are joining the global community in ways we could never have imagined just a few years ago: A mid-sized business owner in Senegal connects to vast new markets in Asia; a student from a small Brazilian village exchanges political views with counterparts in New York and Barcelona; an aspiring web developer from Poland hooks into a virtual community of like-minded programmers from Venice to Hong Kong to share design techniques—these are the bridges between cultures and countries built by access to digital technology. This empowerment brings with it both a financial opportunity and an ethical imperative. Our philosophy is “”Doing well by doing good.”” We believe that where people are provided the tools for success, both economic benefits and increased personal freedoms will naturally follow. The demands of a competitive marketplace seduce us into seeing the barely-tapped markets of the developing world in narrow focus, as avenues of profitable expansion, and so they may be. But at the same time, a wider view is needed; recognizing the powerful opportunities presented by the emergence of young, hungry and enthusiastic local workforces that are burning to bring their creative energies and unique perspectives to bear on the many challenges that confront us. This is particularly important in the communications industry, where the opening of traditionally closed networks paired with the emergence of new service creators across the world is driving the introduction of new and exciting additions to service provider portfolios. Our “”e-Inclusion”” program is a good example of our commitment in action. Working with a global ecosystem of companies, governments, development agencies, non-profit organizations and individuals, HP is helping to provide digital access to information to the four billion very low income people in the developing regions of Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The latest initiative is a three-year alliance with the eastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Under this alliance, Andhra Pradesh will help establish the necessary access infrastructure to build an I-Community in Kuppam, a district of 320,000 people spread across four rural villages, and will make the area a priority for information and communications technology investments. This will serve as a base to work with community stakeholders to develop scalable, replicable and self-sustaining IT solutions. By strategically deploying information and communications technology, we will improve job creation, generate sustainable income opportunity and vastly expand access to government, education and healthcare services. Strategies for an Economy in Transition This wellspring of ingenuity will only become more critical as we continue to navigate from a product-centric economy to a services-centric economy. The real power is already shifting from the producers of goods to the customers who are using and paying for services, and today’s smaller profit margins and increased competition are forcing us to be more creative, inventive, and more acutely tuned into what our customers want from their voice, data and multimedia services. Because new service users—and developers—will come from many backgrounds and cultures, the services they want— or design—will be as diverse as their perspectives on business and their lives in general. New solutions are coming to market, which enables service providers to work with partners and developers to rapidly create, provision and accurately bill for innovative, compound services. Sophisticated new management tools that allow service providers to see complete, end-to-end views of their operations and quickly discern which of these services “”stick”” will become more pervasive. And because these agile business tools work in an increasingly seamless fashion, bridging across multiple platforms and applications, subscribers aren’t bogged down with service delays or billing issues, and revenue leakage is curtailed. Technology is Democratic While addressing subscriber needs it certainly offers economic gain, both for the corporate entities that provide these services and for the users themselves, the impact of millions of new, engaged users brings an even more profound opportunity for societal evolution that will pay significant dividends for generations to come. Where developing nations are saddled with enormous debt, the development of their transportation infrastructure suffers, and distance, language or culture separates businesses from potential customers. In these circumstances telecommunications technology can help to cut costs and increase efficiencies across the board. Increased access to communication technology helps to make governments more accountable to their citizens and improves transparency and helps in attracting additional foreign investment. Telemedicine and distance learning projects bring educational opportunities and improvements in healthcare where they were never before available. A symbiotic relationship is created as technology investments in these nations infuse their economies with much needed cash flow, opening the doors to sustainable economic growth through inclusion in the knowledge economy. As standards of living improve, and a viable middle class emerges, the opportunity for investor corporations to realize profit becomes a reality. This is nation building in the truest sense, spurred by the unstoppable groundswell of an increasingly informed and empowered citizenry, armed with knowledge and skills that translate directly to the global marketplace. True Success is Inclusive While there is much good news, we must remain especially vigilant in guarding against any widening of the existing gap between established information societies and those of developing nations. What is needed is the rapid transfer of technology – and the skill sets that go with it – to the citizens of developing nations. That’s one reason that the solutions cannot cater only to the high-end, top-tier service provider who needs the latest solutions. Rather, as a complement to the high-end portfolio, entry-level, commodity platforms running Linux and Intel technologies, and VoIP and 802.11 instead of 3G, must also be offered. While not state-of-the-art, these are nevertheless extremely viable technologies, which offer tremendous value for mid-tier and fledgling service providers and their customers. In regions where communications infrastructures are rudimentary, innovative service providers may be able to leapfrog several generations of technology—for example by going straight to wireless rather than laying cable—further cutting their costs of development and deployment. We should also remember that implementing training programs to increase the skills of the local workforce has direct and profound benefits for telecoms as well. Reducing the need for importing talent can dramatically reduce the costs associated with building and maintaining infrastructure. Great Ideas Come from Everywhere No one knows where the next great idea will come from, or more to the point, from where the next great application designer will emerge. The only safe bet is to say that it probably won’t be where we expect. The analysts who prophesied an inevitable evolution along the path of 3G were wrong, not because they weren’t paying attention, but because unpredictability is a natural by-product of open societies. The same things that inspire creativity incite volatility, and we must learn to embrace this dynamism, dedicating ourselves to keen-eyed observation and clearing the path for increased participation by talented individuals. The dynamic nature of the developing world should be seen as one of its greatest strengths, not as a series of frustrating challenges to be overcome. Again, it’s important to remember that we’re not just talking about potential markets—we’re peering into windows that reveal the wants, hopes and dreams of millions of everyday people. If the technology we create is able to help these dreams become reality, then profit will unquestionably follow. Access is the Key We’re proud to be involved with the ITU and other international organizations which are dedicated to bridging the digital divide. We consider the equipment, money and human resources we contribute to these projects in developing nations to be well invested. Allowing access to communication to the masses holds exciting promises for tangible gains in freeing discourse and encouraging the exchange of ideas, opening and expanding new markets, and enabling successful e-commerce. More than ever before in human history, breaking down the barriers of distance and culture is critical to the future. Suspicion, mistrust and misinformation all flee before the light of knowledge. We must accept the responsibility for bringing that illumination where it can shine brightly, a beacon of possibility for all to follow. We simply cannot afford to leave any region of the world behind. Conclusion It isn’t often that an individual or a corporation gets the chance to contribute something of significance and lasting value to the world, and actually profit by doing so. Yet, this is precisely what investing in bridging the digital divide offers. That’s why, despite the current economic downturn, this is truly an exciting time to be involved in digital communications. The opportunities before us are staggering, as are the costs of failing to achieve these goals. Success in bringing access to technology to individuals everywhere is in all our interests.
