Connecting the other 3 billion
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
O3b Networks, O3b stands for Other 3 billion, aims to provide cheap internet access to the remote areas of the globe by 2010. Backed by Google, Liberty and HSBC, O3b is setting up a satellite network to connect the three billion people who currently don't have internet access. In most of the Western world, internet access came as the natural next step in communication technology, we already were enjoying the benefits of TV, telephone, newspapers and what not. These countries, however, will be catapulted into a global information society most of its inhabitants never knew existed.I can only begin to imagine the impact this will have on these societies. Lack of connectivity and information access are a huge issue in these parts of the world - just think disaster relief, health care and all its related issues like birth control and aids prevention, access to education, access to (alternative) news sources, and most importantly, having the tools to communicate and to organize. Literally, I can see a world of opportunities opening up.
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We have already seen the power of putting mobile phones in the hands of the 'other 3 billion' in terms of empowerment (think about how people in Africa are already using their cell phone prepaid cards to add and subtract money at local phone shops). We will definitely see a lot of innovation coming from these countries once mobile internet adoption starts to increase.
I would recommend reading the blog of Professor M P Ranjan, professor at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad (NID) to get the perspective of someone who has been dealing with these issues for long time and from one of the countries who will benefit the most from this transformation in the use of information technologies.
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