Out of the Labs and Into the Developing World: Using appropriate technologies to promote truly global Internet diffusion

Abstract

One of the primary barriers to the diffusion of the Internet to the developing world is economic in nature. Mainstream Internet technologies remain too highly priced to make them accessible to the majority of people in developing countries. This paper presents and explores a range of possibly appropriate technologies which can aid local Internet diffusion. These technologies are either being developed in specialized research labs and universities, already used on a small scale within the developing world, or available in retail markets in developed countries where their applicability to the developing world is overlooked. The paper also explores technologies that in the future should aid in Internet diffusion, particularly mobile wireless Internet solutions. The paper concludes that the primary stumbling block to the provision of these technologies to developing countries stems from market failure. Private companies do not perceive the latent demand for the Internet in the developing world, thus technology is not produced with the cost and design constraints of developing nations in mind. There is an important need to create incentives for information technology development geared toward the developing world, as well as increased dialogue and awareness raising to channel market forces toward developing country needs.