From: Michael S. Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Date: Tue Dec 29 1998 - 12:56:01 MST
Here's some interesting stats on global connectivity for a sobering
reminder of how far out in front of everyone else we are....
You can look at the glass as being nearly empty and decry the injustice,
blah blah blah, or you can say, "Hey, I wonder if they'll pay me to fill
it for them?"
Mike Lorrey
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Comment from sender: Story on actual user numbers worldwide
It Takes a (Wired) Village -- Why Global Connectivity Is a Myth
URL: http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/story/story_2931.html
Berst Alert
Jesse Berst, Editorial Director<BR><I>ZDNet AnchorDesk</I>
Tuesday, December 29, 1998
This global village we call home sure is one small place.
Thanks to telephones, TVs and computer networks, it's
a cinch to chat with friends in Korea, watch war in Iraq
and shop at a Chilean e-tailer.
Keep in mind, though, that not every resident of our pint-sized
planet is so fortunate. While we wired ones enjoy windows
on the world, most of our fellow Earthlings don't even
have phone service -- let alone Internet access.
I mention this disparity in connectivity not to induce
guilt. But to bring the recent Internet explosion into
context -- and to point out geographic challenges and
opportunities. Herewith, a global guide to who's wired
and who isn't:
Headcount.com: When considering e-business abroad, check
this slick site to measure -- and compare -- Internet
connectivity rates around the world. Headcount.com knows
the score in every country from Australia (3.3 million
Netizens) to Vietnam (6,000). Click for more.
Nua Internet Surveys: As its headline says, this page
attempts to answer, "How many online?" Quick fact: There
are 87 million Internet users in Canada and the United
States, compared with less than a million in all of Africa.
Click for more.
It's a Wired Wired World? Interactive Week reports that
most of the world has little infrastructure and few computers
through which to communicate digitally. Click for more.
Among other locales, this series of stories visits:
England: Cambridge the next Silicon Valley? Click for
more.
France: Both behind and ahead of the times. Click for
more.
South Africa, Australia: Unexpected hot spots. Click for
more.
Wired World Atlas: The folks at Wired magazine host a
tour of the world's media use. Click for more. Among the
thought-provoking highlights:
65% of the world's households don't have a phone.
71% of phone users in Cambodia are cell phone users.
TV is illegal in Bhutan; VCRs, however, are OK. Click
for more.
South American IT Challenges: Despite geographic proximity,
neighboring countries in South America (and elsewhere)
often have vastly different communications situations.
For example, as this CNN story reveals, Chile boasts easy
and inexpensive digital connections, while the Brazilians
next-door find hook-ups "frustrating and difficult." Click
for more.
Home-Grown Solutions: Here in the States, where 60 million
PCs access the Net, pockets of under-served computer users
remain. So what's a connectivity-challenged town to do?
At least two pioneering places, in Oregon and Kentucky,
are spending public-utility funds to hook up their cities:
Ashland Fiber Network: $5 million will buy speedy fiber-optic
lines for 16,000 customers. Click for more.
Glasgow Electric Plant Board: $3 million brought broadband
access to 14,000 citizens. Click for more.
What challenges and opportunities have you encountered
in under-wired countries and communities? Use the TalkBack
button to share your stories. We'll post responses below.
Don't Miss These Previous Berst Alerts...
Top 12 AnchorDesk Stories of 1998
Free Gifts -- Whether You're Naughty or Nice
Jesse's Favorite Web Cams
READ MORE:
It's a Wired, Wired World -- Or Is It? - Inter@ctive Week
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.zdnet.com/icom/e-business/1998/12/wired.world/
Telecom Venture Investors Keep Cash Flowing - Inter@ctive Week
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.zdnet.com/intweek/print/980921/352572.html
InternetUser: The Ultimate Internet Resource - ZDNet Products Channel
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.zdnet.com/products/internetuser/
Net of the North - ZDNN
http://www.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2163397,00.html
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DISCUSS:
Jesse's Berst Alerts
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/disgroups/disgroups_54.html
TOPICS:
Ecommerce
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/topics/topics_289.html
ISPs/Online Services
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/topics/topics_291.html
Telecommunications
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/topics/topics_299.html
TALKBACK:
Ross Jaburg
Live and learn
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/talkback/talkback_144227.html
Trong Nguyen
This is definitely one of your best stories in 1998
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/talkback/talkback_144223.html
Marcelo Negrini
You can do better
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/talkback/talkback_144225.html
Dan Schwartz
It's the connectivity, stupid
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/talkback/talkback_144233.html
Bill Wendel
Reminder of the income inequalities
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/talkback/talkback_144234.html
Robert S. Duggan, Jr.
A great site
http://chkpt.zdnet.com/chkpt/adem2fpf/www.anchordesk.com/talkback/talkback_144236.html
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