In
2003, the Market Information and Statistics Unit launched the Digital Access
Index (DAI), a new index, which measures the overall ability of
individuals in a country to access and use new ICTs. The DAI is built
around four fundamental vectors that impact a country's ability to
access ICTs: infrastructure, affordability, knowledge and quality and
actual usage of ICTs. The DAI has been calculated for 181 economies
where European countries were among the highest ranked. The DAI allows
countries to see how they compare to peers and their relative strengths
and weaknesses. The DAI also provides a transparent and globally
measurable way of tracking progress towards improving access to ICTs.
