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Access to high-speed telecommunication networks will be the economic lifeblood of the emerging Information Age, just as access to capital and labour were crucial to the national economies of the industrial era. Converging technologies, their rapid rate of change and their importance in the development of the economic, social and financial sectors, are opening up new opportunities. At the same time, these changes pose fresh challenges - especially to those in the developing world who have been shut out of the digital revolution and the promise it holds.
With the fast pace of the technological revolution, the digital divide is changing. For example, the gap for fixed lines between developed and developing countries has shrunk from 14 times in 1992 to only 5 times in 2002. For mobile phones, it went from 30 times more in 1992 to just 5 times in 2002. While the gap is generally shrinking, it is still far too wide, particularly for the Internet. Of the one billion fixed telephone lines installed throughout the world, over 50 percent are found in the 29 richest countries, even though they only account for 15 percent of the world's population. Only ten percent of the world's population use the Internet but 72 percent of these live in developed countries.
All is not doom and gloom however. Developing countries are entering the Information Age by adopting technologies most suitable to their needs and environment. Developing countries have witnessed remarkable advances in the more widespread use of mobile phones where growth is now far outstripping that of fixed lines: between 1993 and 2002, the number of mobile users in developing nations soared from 3 million to over 500 million. The number of mobile subscribers now exceeds fixed-lines in developing nations. The developing world presents the highest potential for growth in infrastructure, services, applications and revenue.
Equitable, sustainable deployment of affordable ICT networks and services
Through its development arm (the Telecommunication Development Sector), ITU is helping developing countries to bridge the digital divide, by promoting the mobilization of people, funding and technology to developing countries in ways that make sense in these countries.
ITU development activities focus on six principal areas, as determined most recently by the Istanbul Action Plan, adopted at the 2002 World Telecommunication Development Conference. These are:
Regulatory Reform Technologies and Telecommunication Network Development E-strategies and Applications Economics and Finance including Cost and Tariff programme Human Capacity Building The Special Programme for the least developed countries (LDCs)
In addition, two cross-cutting activities to support the six programmes - statistics and information on ICTs and partnerships and promotion - are critical to the sustainability of ICT development. In driving forward the Istanbul Action Plan, ITU is helping developing countries to promote the equitable and sustainable deployment of affordable ICT networks and services.
Regulatory reforms
ITU is an authoritative voice on - and plays a leadership role in - issues associated with policy, regulation and network readiness. ITU identifies and analyzes world trends in telecommunication reform and helps member states in reforming their telecommunication policies and regulations.
ITU publishes an annual survey of the telecommunication regulatory community, organizes workshops and seminars, produces publications and products related to telecom regulation and continually monitors the industry.
ITU brings together the regulatory community for the annual Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR). The 2003 GSR attracted regulators from more than 80 countries. The GSR agreed on a list of best practice regulatory guidelines for achieving universal access. ITU also provides an on-line forum for regulators and policy-makers, known as the Global Regulators Exchange (GREX). Using GREX, regulators have an opportunity to share experiences and exchange best practices on an on-going basis. Users are able to pose questions on the GREX "hotline" about burning regulatory issues and receive responses from their counterparts around the world.
The ITU leadership role in this area has become more critical than ever against a rapidly changing industry characterized by changes in operator ownership and the opening of previously protected domestic markets. Governments look for counsel and support from ITU as they move to reform their telecommunications legislation or create new regulatory agencies.
Technologies and telecommunication network development
ITU has been bringing broadcast, mobile, telephone, fax, Internet, e-mail, distance-learning and telemedicine to remote villages of developing countries around the world by providing help with planning, operation, upgrading, extension and management of wired and wireless networks and services.
For example, in the migration from pre-IMT-2000 to third generation IMT-2000 networks, ITU provides a framework of objective background information and guidelines to help policy-makers, regulators and operators to consider various options and develop appropriate strategies for the smooth implementation of IMT-2000 systems.
ITU also organizes seminars and workshops to increase the awareness and knowledge of how the convergence of fixed and mobile networks can help narrow the digital divide in developing countries. In addition, ITU assists developing countries to plan, build, operate, upgrade, manage and maintain their networks and service offerings based on the best technology options.
E-nabling citizens, Industry and government through E-strategies
With the active support of more than 150 countries on six continents, ITU E-strategies is now one of the largest e-empowerment programmes in the world. By bringing together governments, the private sector and international organizations, ITU has created a framework in developing countries for projects in six priority areas: e-applications (such as e-health, e-learning, e-government, e-agriculture, e-community, d-cinema and more), e-security, Multipurpose Community Telecentres (MCTs), the Internet, ICT awareness and e-legislation.
ITU has implemented projects to deliver secure e-applications and digital certification solutions in over 20 countries in Africa, Europe, the Arab States, Asia and the Americas. In addition, assistance for the establishment of a harmonized legal environment for e-commerce was offered to countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela and training in security and trust technologies took place in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Pakistan, Peru and Senegal. Through these projects, confidence in the use of public networks has been fostered and the conditions for affordable access to ICTs created.
The development of multipurpose community telecentres (MCT) makes it possible for teachers to run educational software on personal computers or access online libraries. Local administrators can access information on basic social services such as water supply or infrastructure and local entrepreneurs can use the telecentre for normal office services. ITU, with the help of partners including local communities, governments and private sector, have deployed MCTs across Africa, Asia and the Americas. Since 1998, it has also effectively integrated gender issues into the development process, and all projects take women into account in the operation of telecentres and help establish women run and owned telecentres.
For example, a 3 500 member strong association of African women entrepreneurs (ASAFE) is using ICTs to create new business models and increase revenues. Rural farmers in the Tokmok region of Kyrgyzstan will for the first time use Internet technologies for enhancing their agricultural activities, while students in Timbouctou in Mali are now able to leverage the potential of Internet to communicate worldwide thereby accessing a wide range of information through the ITU Internet@school project.
In the area of telemedicine, ITU is helping to extend vital medical services to remote and underprivileged areas through pilot programmes in Asia, Africa, CIS and the Americas. Telemedicine enables the exchange of medical information, video conferencing and distance consultation. Since 1998, ITU has implemented a large number of telemedicine projects, again in partnership with different stakeholders.
ITU has also helped in preparing the groundwork for large-scale deployment of telemedicine and tele-education services in India, Kenya and Morocco to serve as a launch pad for applying similar approaches elsewhere.
Formulating economic and financial strategies
ITU helps Member States put into place mechanisms designed to promote private investment where public investment has become unlikely and to implement appropriate public or private-public partnership funding mechanisms where appropriate. ITU helps Members to identify success factors, and how these can contribute to provide services at equitable, affordable and cost-orientated costs.
ITU provides counsel and a wealth of information to help member states formulate financial strategies as they navigate the maze of cost and tariff mechanisms in telecommunications. It develops publications and reports on costs and tariffs and organizes training workshop on the use of ITU software for calculating telephone service costs, tariffs, and interconnection charges (COSITU). ITU members also have access to the databases on financing institutions and on tariff policies as well as to the widely respected and much anticipated reports on trends in economics and finance. Such intelligence information produced by ITU for its Members has proved to be extremely useful tools in the context of public-private sector partnership.
In addition, ITU provides direct assistance to country regulators in areas such as revising reserves applications, establishing universal access criteria and assessing international services. In this context it prepares in-depth Country Case Studies at the request of member states that can be used to identify and rectify operational, technical and policy issues.
Expanding human capacity through training
ITU provides training in developing countries on telecommunication policy, regulation, management and advanced telecommunication technology. This is done via regional centres, online education, distance learning and IP technology training either alone or in partnership with public and private partners in existing institutions, while co-sharing the sponsorship of trainees from developing countries.
Early 2004, ITU launched a new 4-year plan on Human Resources Development core issues, so as to support more closely the permanent evolution of communications organizations and to consider their related capacity building requirements. This 4-year plan will allow ITU to implement a new series of workshops (face-to-face and distance learning) and to disseminate advanced training resources focusing on Change Management, Alignment of Human Resources to Organizational Changes and Human Resources rightsizing. These new resources will be tailored to each regional context through the regular implementation of virtual fora.
The ITU Centres of Excellence serve as regional focal points for professional development, research and information and offer training to the Executive Staff and Managers of the telecommunications industry. They also provide consultancy services to the government and private sector. Building on the existing experience and infrastructure in each region, ITU has created six Centres of Excellence in Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Arab Region and Europe/CIS. More than 2 300 top and middle managers have been trained during 2003 on regulatory issues, spectrum management, technology awareness and business management. More than 3 500 are expected to attend CoE training opportunities during year 2004.
The ITU e-Learning Centre has been established as a global learning platform aimed at strengthening human capacities in the area of telecommunications and human resources management by leveraging on the digital opportunities available through the use of the Internet. In 2003, more than 1 000 participants registered to learn online through the e-Learning Centre.
Partnering with the public and private sectors, the Internet Training Centres Initiative (ITCI) uses a train-the-trainers approach to assist training/educational institutions in non-industrialized countries in establishing ICT and Internet related training programmes. These centres provide students with access to affordable and relevant training on IP technologies for the "new economy". To strengthen the Internet skills within the staff of national telecommunication operators, ITU encourages centres to develop partnership arrangements with the operators. In December 2003, ITCI had established 53 Internet Training Centres in 46 countries (17 of them are LDCs). These centres are now delivering the training programmes to students. A total of 2 700 students are presently enrolled in the centres worldwide (28.3% are female students) and 523 students have graduate so far.
The Special Programme for the least developed countries
ITU helps integrate the world's 49 most marginalized countries into the global telecommunication network through its special Programme for Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Most of these countries have very poor telecommunication networks resulting in teledensities below 1 per 100 inhabitants. They have very low per capita incomes and suffer from long-term constraints to growth as a result of human resource and infrastructure weaknesses. Because they do not have access to information and communication technologies, citizens of LDCs are divided digitally from the rest of the world (the majority have not used or even seen a telephone). Within these countries, a second divide is found between the rural population and city dwellers in terms of ICT access and connectivity.
Following a decision made at the ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference in 2002, the programme now delivers focused assistance to countries over a period of two years starting from 2003. Projects are implemented with 100% funding from the ITU regular budget, ITU TELECOM Surplus Funds1 and from co-financing arrangements with development partners. Over the past three years, the following countries have benefited from this programme:
2001: Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger and Yemen.
2002: Bhutan, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Haiti, Kiribati, Malawi, Mali, and Zambia.
2003: Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Lao P.D.R., Kiribati, Haiti, Central African Republic, Malawi, Mali, Zambia, Somalia, Djibouti, and Uganda.
ITU has provided help to these countries in these priority areas:
Introducing new technologies and services for network expansion and modernization (with projects focused on migration from circuit-switched telephone networks to Internet Protocol based networks). Reforming and restructuring the telecommunication sector to create an environment conducive to increased investment and competition. Developing the human resources necessary to ensure sustainability of the management and operation of the telecommunication sector. Promoting financing and partnerships as a strategy to attract investment into the sector.
Countries in Special Need
The least developed countries are not only economically weak, they are also socially and politically more fragile. To a great extent, their socio-economic situation has stifled growth in the telecommunications sector and hampered the deployment of information and communication technologies.
ITU's development efforts therefore focus on countries in special need, particularly least developed countries emerging from either civil strife or war. These include Afghanistan, Burundi, the Democractic Republic of Congo, East Timor, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Somalia. Assistance to these countries falls primarily on infrastructure development and reconstruction, regulatory reform, and human resource development.
The ongoing assistance to countries in special need supports the Istanbul Action Plan adopted by the ITU World Telecommunication Development Conference as well as the Declaration of the Third United Nations Conference for LDCs and the Millennium Development Goals.
Measuring and monitoring the information society
ITU is recognized as the leading intergovernmental source of telecommunication / ICT statistics. Statistics and analysis explaining trends in ICT development are crucial for benchmarking countries, evaluating e-readiness and making informed national policy, legislation and regulation choices for ICT development. Statistics and analysis form the basis for objective and measurable indicators on the state of the global information economy and society.
Funding and Multi-stakeholder partnerships
ITU undertakes development projects on the basis of their long-term sustainable impact as well as their self-sufficiency in the short to medium term. To fund these, ITU uses internally sourced funding as well as funding from external partnerships.
ITU plays an increasingly important role as a catalyst for forging development partnerships between government and private industry to help bring about improvements in telecommunication infrastructure in the world's developing economies. ITU partners in the private sector include many operators and service providers as well as equipment suppliers, integrators, consulting firms, financial institutions and regional & international organizations. ITU partners include Alcatel, ATU, Cable & Wireless, Cisco, CTO, Detecon, Ecowas, Ericsson, Huawei, the International Development Research Centre, Inmarsat, ITXC, Mobinil, Rhode and Schwarz, Siemens, Sonatel, Telkom, Worldspace, to name but a few.
The excess of income over expenditure arising from the ITU TELECOM events is used as seed funding for ITU development projects. From 1998-2003, ITU earmarked a total of US$19 million for its development projects based on ITU TELECOM events funds.
The Surplus Programme provides seed money to attract funds from public and private sector and recipient countries themselves for a wide range of national and regional development projects. ITU undertakes development projects on the basis of their long-term sustainable impact as well as their self-sufficiency in the short to medium term. Projects funded through the Programme are broadly grouped into four key areas: Human Resource Development, Infrastructure Development, Assistance to Countries in Special Needs, and Application of New Technologies.
Another interesting scheme is the ITU YES programme. The Youth Education Scheme or YES was launched to ensure that young people who are interested in pursuing careers as communication policy-makers, business people, lawyers, or engineers will benefit from completing the education they need. In partnership with leading companies such as Vodafone and Alcatel, ITU provides scholarships for young people who demonstrate that they are at the top of their university classes, have great potential for leadership positions and who require financial assistance to complete their degrees.
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