50x15 Partner Program Serves as a Crossroads for Digital Inclusion Initiatives
3/19/2007
By Steve Howard, 50x15 Partner Program Manager
By working with strategic partners throughout the world, the 50x15 Initiative has helped provide Internet access and computing capability to millions of people in high-growth markets since the program's inception in 2004. We've learned through these efforts that no single solution will meet the computing needs of the 5.4 billion people not yet connected, and no single company can do it alone. Successfully connecting 50 percent of the world's people to the Internet by 2015 will require cooperation among many companies, non-governmental organizations, government bodies, and thought leaders throughout the world.
In its second year, the 50x15 Partner Program is action oriented and ensures the vital resources offered by partners translate into sustainable and replicable Internet connectivity deployments. We're actively seeking 50x15 partners who can contribute to any of the six key areas of an Internet connectivity ecosystem as identified by the World Economic Forum-sponsored IT Access for Everyone (ITAFE) Global Benchmarking Study:
- Power — grid-based, solar, wind, or manual power generation
- Connectivity — wired, wireless, or satellite service providers
- Devices — servers, personal computers, laptops, thin clients, smart phones, and other tools people use to access the Internet
- Financing — government programs, financial institutions, and foundations that provide micro loans and other means for helping people afford Internet access tools and services
- Content — locally relevant software applications and information available in multiple languages
- Expertise — training, installation, repair services, and general ecosystem support
As these elements are deployed, a new set of challenges emerge. The entire ecosystem needs to be supported by business models that not only sustain the initial deployment but also help the model replicate, spreading knowledge and generating new sources of revenue to help the initiatives grow.
We're already seeing remarkable progress. Coalitions such as New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), and the Remote Education Program (REP) in China have demonstrated the capability of like-minded organizations to realize substantial progress. In the next two years, these three initiatives are projected to connect nearly seven million students to the Internet. And because we're tracking and publishing capsules detailing how these deployments occur (http://50x15.amd.com/capsules), connecting an additional seven million people to the Internet could conceivably occur in a fraction of the time.
There is much we plan to achieve in 2007. Our focus is expanding Internet access to address three key focus areas: healthcare, education, and e-commerce. Our goal in 2007 is to realize the establishment of a minimum of three new Learning Labs per focus area. If you have resources to contribute to the cause, from equipment to manpower to ideas, we want to hear from you. Please complete this brief Contact Us form. We'll help you connect with others who also seek to better the world through technology.
Given that less than 17 percent of the world's population currently has Internet access, it will be a significant challenge to reach the 50x15 goal. But, the pursuit is essential to changing our planet. Providing Internet access to the developing world provides an infusion of fresh ideas to educate millions and help spark innovation. Many of the challenges facing impoverished nations can be solved by the people living in those nations. Fresh water, sewage disposal, crop renewal, healthcare, and many other long-standing issues can be mitigated by connecting those isolated by the digital divide to information available on the Internet. Empowered with knowledge, people will help themselves. It's a part of the human spirit, and it exists in every culture, every individual, and every corner of the world.