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Developing Nations Crippled By Broadband Costs
eldavojohn writes "If you live in the EU, you probably enjoy low broadband costs. If you live in Finland, it's even a legal right. If you live in the US, you probably pay a moderate cost. But if you live in the developing world, a UNCTAD report paints your picture pretty grim. Ridiculously high bandwidth costs are inhibiting developing nations from enjoying productive use of the internet — like online banking and market tools."
That'd be why telecos are gearing up for big business including cellular banking in Africa http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0826/p07s01-woaf.html.
Once you've got the basic stuff covered
Let's let them get that covered first, then, shall we? Can you give me an example of a "developing nation" that has the basics covered adequately?
I think it's kinda funny that the wikipedia entry mentions that many "developing" countries don't like the term "developing nation" because it implies they aren't "developed." Hmmm. I wonder who in the country doesn't like that - the poor that are starving to death, or the rich that seemingly are keeping the country poor by their greed and careless attitude towards the people.
Or that "Cuba" (the nation?) has decided not to follow the "Western model." Yeah, no kidding. I'm sure the entire country is happy with their model and Castro is in power because the people/nation as a whole like him there...
The solution to hunger, as I am aware of, has never been to give them a computer. It's typically been to give them food and a source to make/grow/manufacture/whatever their own food.
Or perhaps get rid of the lame government (which may mean getting rid of the lame culture that supports the lame government).
As Amartya Sen pointed out "No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy."