 | As universal access in the digital era goes beyond extending networks to bolster use and adoption, the level of investment required is huge, necessitating a considerable shift in the approach to funding universal access. Whether it is pooling financial resources, sharing open access infrastructure or leveraging public money to raise private funds, the goal is to extend limited financial and non-financial resources as far as possible. Today's fundamental funding challenge is to make rural and low-income areas and marginalized populations "worth" the investment risk for the private sector and co-investors, as the economic cost of exclusion is higher than the cost of closing the digital divide. Ensuring the effective participation of vulnerable and marginalized communities should be part of all universal access initiatives and projects. There are various financing options and innovative models, which are examined in the financing toolbox section of this report. Designed to provide practical guidance to our members and other stakeholders, this new report will contribute to reviewing and rethinking funds as a concept, exploring alternative models using a combination of monetary and non-monetary contributions and implementing innovative risk-mitigation mechanisms and financial solutions for smarter investments. It also provides guidance on the policy and regulatory frameworks needed to attract greater private sector participation in financing universal connectivity, access and uptake and explores business models for deploying supply and demand-side projects and initiatives in the digital era. Table of contents
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