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of course now a major hub for the outsourcing of ICT software
and services as well as providing a variety of professional services.
It is a best practice showcase for developing countries.
India has in place a three-prong strategy for ICT improvement
designed to complete the nation’s transition from third world to
first world market leader. The plan comprises:
1. A national e-Government designed to streamline the
Government’s role in core infrastructure projects and poli-
cies and the implementation of integrated national, state
and service levels, thus fostering a citizen-centric and busi-
ness-centric environment for governance
2. Understanding the role of health factors in bridging the
digital divide, India has implemented a national telemedi-
cine initiative. Indeed, telemedicine has a special importance
in a country where 75 per cent of its one billion inhabitants
live in rural areas away from the majority of healthcare facil-
ities which reside in the major cities. The Indian
telemedicine initiative includes pilot telemedicine networks
and standardization activities. A large number of telemedi-
cine nodes have already been set up across the country in
more than 200 specialist and peripheral hospitals in India
3. By the same token, the value of education is being reinforced
with India’s national e-Learning initiative. This programme
features an e-Learning methodology and approach integrated
with the country’s conventional classroom system. This
serves to optimize the traditional education system already
in place as well as extending its reach to more and more
students and adding ICT-related subjects to conventional
subjects in the school curriculum. The National e-Learning
Plan focuses on technology, tools, standards and content.
Vidya Vahini is the name of a national project to provide Internet
access to nearly one million schools in the country. This special
ICT project, being undertaken by the Education and Research
Network Ministry, is designed to provide for the “equitable
dissemination of education through Internet communication
superhighways and for many students to help bridge the digital
divide and meet their aspirations.”
GSM narrows the gap in Brazil
It was the technology itself that provided an answer to the cost
question regarding an advanced communications system in a
society that is economically segregated. When the Brazilian
carrier, Telemar Group, decided it was time to bridge the digital
divide in its country and connect all of Brazil with the mobile
world, it quickly became clear that Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM) technology was the answer.
Through technical and financial collaboration between Siemens
and Telemar, the operator was able to commission its own GSM
mobile network, the first in the country. GSM technology offered
Telemar the means to merge service quality with a price that suited
the unique social challenges of this market, yet still to do so at a
profit. Indeed, GSM’s unique economies of scale and revenue
generation features offered Telemar cost advantages without which
the project would not have been possible. Today, Brazil has
approximately 54 million mobile subscribers, 61 per cent of
whom had no previous telephone service, neither a fixed line
phone nor a mobile service. Boosted by migration to GSM, Brazil
is forecast to have 100 million subscribers across all social demo-
graphics by the year 2008. Currently, the company is responsible
for providing mobile networks for 450 cities.
Responsibilities in a global village
These are turbulent times both in terms of global economics
and political conflict, during which the natural reaction of most
businesses is to become more conservative. In fact the opposite
should be true to solve the problems we all face as world citi-
zens. Our role in prosperity creation around the world in these
times is more meaningful and valuable than ever as architects
of the ICT infrastructure that has so dramatically changed the
world. Indeed our corporate identity is inextricably linked to
our responsibility as a citizen in what is rapidly becoming one
global village. And as the Dalai Lama once said: “Responsibility
does not only lie with the leaders of our countries or with those
who have been appointed or elected to do a particular job. It
lies with each of us individually.” I believe that ICT lends each
individual the power to change the world.
Communication is a basic need of people around the world
Photo: SIEMENS
e-Learning opens new horizons for girls to be a part of social developments
Photo: SIEMENS