1. 1990s hypothesis Computer networks can improve the quality of life in developing nations at a relatively low cost Marginal impact increased by a lack of alternative ICT and transportation Raising the quality of rural life will reduce pressure for urban migration

2. We have done Training ICT readiness assessments Pilot projects Conferences and workshops

3. Training Internet Society/World Bank Developing Nations Workshops trained over 2,500 networking pioneers from every developing nation but North Korea. Cisco Networking Academy: over 10,000 academies in 155 countries

4. E-readiness assessments 10 statistical/questionnaire methodologies 8 case study methodologies 137 nations have been assessed at least once 55 nations have been assessed at least 5 times 10 nations have been assessed at least 10 times

5. Mosaic dimensions

6. Successful Applications Education Health care E-commerce Democracy and human rights E-government News and entertainment

7. Many successful pilots

8. E-government

9. Entertainment and connection to the outside world

10. N-Logue rural Kiosk Remote medicine Remote veterinary Remote agricultural advice E-government E-mail digital photography desktop publishing Telephony Break even at $75/mo.

11. E-choupal home page

12. E-choupal services Login Weather Crop best practices Market related information Agricultural queries Suggestion box Farmer profile Government schemes News

13. Cuban Youth Computer Clubs 350 YCCs Geographically dispersed Education Games Email News

14. YCC mobile unit

16. Where are we? Many applications have been demonstrated. The Internet is on the “radar screen” But the digital divide persists Capital is not available

17. The “digital divide” persists

18. Internet subscribers, 2005 IncomePopulationSubscribersPer 100 Low2,33837,4081.6 Lower middle 2,430150,6606.2 Upper middle 576120,38420.9 High1,001366,36636.6 World6,345951,75015

19. Cannot attract private capital Cost of 20 hours access as percent of average monthly GNI per capita (2003) Low income nations258.3 Lower middle income32.2 Upper middle income13.3 High income1.7

20. VSAT– the only way to connect most rural areas

21. A grand challenge Connecting the approximately three billion people residing in three million rural villages of the developing nations within ten years.

22. Grand challenges I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth. John F. Kennedy, 1961 That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong, 1969

23. An unconnected nation No national backbone network No residential connectivity No commercial application Character-oriented email and news primary applications Connectivity only in a few universities The US in 1989

24. Fiber Backbone, Mesh, POPs

25. FiberAfrica 70,000 Km fiber core 30,000 Km fiber spurs Wireless to fiber Reach 400 million Walking/bicycling distance 1 billion dollars Daunting, but with precedents

26. Cost context, $billion Manhattan project: 1.889 US Interstate Highway system: 128.9 Apollo program: 25.4 GPS: 8.3 through 1995, 21.8 to complete Baseball stadium:.581 B2 bomber: 2.2 US pet food: 10 per year G8 African pledge: 25 per year (new)