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The Public Voice in Emerging Market Economies Dubai, 2001

This article explores the issues of access and equity in emerging market economies, including defining disparities, identifying obstacles to access, discussing various initiatives, and highlighting progress made. It focuses on the case of South Africa and its efforts to bridge the digital divide.

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The Public Voice in Emerging Market Economies Dubai, 2001

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  1. The Public Voice in Emerging Market EconomiesDubai, 2001 “Access and Equity” Tracy Cohen E-mail: tcohen@iafrica.com LINK Centre – Wits University, Johannesburg http://link.org.wits.ac.za Centre for Innovation Law and Policy, University of Toronto http://www.innovationlaw.org

  2. The Public Voice in Emerging Market Economies • Defining disparities • Obstacles to access • Initiatives • Progress

  3. Africa (est.) 13% world pop. – 2% of its phones. 780 m people - 14 m phone lines Teledensity = 2.44 South Africa Universal Service = 42% (h/h) Universal Access = 80% (h/h) Teledensity = 10-13% Churn = 50-70% Defining Disparities: TeledensitySource: www.sn.apc.org/CommUnity and AISI Connect National ICT Profile http://www2.sn.apc.org/africa

  4. SOUTH AFRICA Ranked +-20 2000: 112 ISPs: 2 416 000 subs 1999: 6% h/h with Internet 2003: 10.5% h/h likely to have Internet 2005: 8.4 million users (Projected) User Profile WORLD (est) 337 m users worldwide: 137 m in N. America Africa: less than 1% 1 in 3 : US 1 in 35 : World 1 in 65 : SA 1 in 125 : Latin America 1 in 250 : Africa Defining Disparities: Internet Markets Source: The 4th South African Internet Services Survey, 2000 http://www.mediaafrica.com; UNDP World Development Report, 1999 and NUA Internet Services, March 2000.

  5. Defining Disparities: Internet in AfricaSource: Mike Jensen; AISI Connect National ICT Profile http://www2.sn.apc.org/africa; The Digital Divide and World Bank Group, May 2000 • 1996: 11 countries had access 2000: 54 countries have access • Largely confined to Capitals • 1 – 3 m dial up • 140 e-mail lists/Usenet • 120 newspapers and magazines • 2 news agencies (IPS/PANA) • 2 web search engines http://af.orientation.com and http://www.woyaa.com • 0.02% content (excl. SA)

  6. Access Costs Defining Disparities: Internet CostsSource: AISI Connect National ICT Profile http://www2.sn.apc.org/africa • Av. = 50 – 60 USD/month • SA: Line Rental: R55.58 pm (7.5 USD) • Dial-up Subscription R 60-150/pm (9-20 USD) • Call costs R 384 pm (50 USD) • USE: R508.00 – 67 USD (Av.) • HDSL: Less than 200 USD/month

  7. Obstacles to Internet access and e-commerce • Affordability • Literacy and awareness • Market structure and liberalization • Regulation • Failure to co-ordinate policy • Language and content • Terminology

  8. Domestic Telecentres (50) Vodacom Phone shops (76) Multi-purpose community centres Governmental Projects (15+) GCIS multi-purpose community centres (3) Regional (12) UNECA Sub-Regional (6) SADC International (18) UNDP/UNESCO National/Local (33) USAID/DFID/CIDA Private Sector (25) Mellon/Rockefeller/Isoc Initiatives

  9. SA TelecentresSource: CommUnity Projectwww.apc.org/community

  10. Progress • Access as gatekeeper • Training • Policy co-ordination • ‘Sensemaking’ and goal-setting • Independent regulation • Charting and linking overall development • Dot Force

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