[wsfii-discuss] Fw: public demand for information technology

Thu Sep 21 13:50:12 UTC 2006

Yep!

Dave Hughes wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org
> [mailto:wsfii-discuss-bounces at lists.okfn.org] On Behalf Of Jo Walsh
> Sent: Thursday, September 21, 2006 6:40 AM
> To: wsfii-discuss at lists.okfn.org
> Subject: [wsfii-discuss] Fw: public demand for information technology
>
> food for thought on telephony in resource-scarce societies...
>
> ----- Forwarded message from Kragen Javier Sitaker <kragen at pobox.com> -----
>
> From: Kragen Javier Sitaker <kragen at pobox.com>
> To: kragen-tol at canonical.org
> Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 03:37:01 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: public demand for information technology
>
> Usually, when I talk to USA citizens about information technology that
> the rest of the world can use, I run into some variant of the "walk
> before you run" argument.  People wonder what good information
> technology is to a goatherd, or a taxi driver, or a subsistence
> farmer.
>
> <snip>
>
> So it seems that there's a lot of demand around here for communication
> services.  Cell phone service is more expensive than in the States ---
> 30 to 60 cents per minute, usually --- as is phone-booth service.
> Cell phones cost $37 and up.  People have less money, too.  An
> engineer friend at an architectural firm in Quito makes $300 a month;
> an acquaintance working retail at a computer store in Riobamba makes
> $150.  The newspaper claims 10% of the urban population makes less
> than $1 a day.
>
> In every place we visited in Ecuador, wireless networks were nearly
> nonexistent --- we found them only in universities and US-style
> shopping malls.  In Peru, all of the first three hotels we stayed in
> had open wireless internet access provided by a generous neighbor,
> although the fourth doesn't seem to.
>
> So, while a USAn might think that computers, cell phones, and internet
> access and cell phones are pointless luxuries to people who struggle
> to buy enough rice to survive, the Ecuadorean and Peruvian populations
> seem to disagree.
> -------------------------------------
>
> You bet! I think that the Killer-Ap technology for the less developed world
> will be Voice Internet Services - VOIP. Which unlicensed wireless (no fee
> between radios) and  public protocols like Skype or SIP can support.
>
> For everyone on the planet, whether read/write (much less computer) literate
> or not, can communicate (talk) on a telephone. 
>
> Humans want to communicate with others. Near and far. Which leads to
> everything else. Period. End of debate.
>
> Dave Hughes
> dave at oldcolo.com
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