ICTlogy

Observations:

Policy-makers and telecommunications executives are sharply divided on the key obstacles to solving the digital divide. Policymakers are twice as likely as telecommunications executives to cite ability/skills to use ICTs as the primary contributor to the digital divide today; conversely, executives are twice as likely to view the urban/rural divide and speed as key hurdles. This is understandable given that future revenue opportunities for the telecommunications industry are driven by reaching new customers primarily in rural markets) and selling higher-end services, which require greater speed. Policy-makers, by contrast, are primarily concerned with social inclusion. But given that both groups must work together to solve many aspects of the divide, it also illustrates the need to find common ground between them.