World Information Society Reports
• Series launched in 2006
– Progress in bridging the digital divide
– Monitoring WSIS implementation
• Prepared by the Digital Opportunity
Platform
– A multi-stakeholder partnership including ITU,
UNCTAD, KADO, MIC Korea, LBS, LIRNEAsia.
• 2nd edition published on May 16 2007
– 8 Chapters, Statistical Annex, Maps etc: 220pp
– Full text online at www.itu.int/wisr
The digital divide by income group
Source: ITU/UNCTAD/KADO Digital Opportunity Platform.
Shrinking digital divide for Internet
Source: ITU/UNCTAD/KADO Digital Opportunity Platform.
But new gaps are emerging …
• Broadband prices are
10x higher in lowincome than highincome economies
– In 9 low-income
countries, prices per
100 kbit/s are above
USD500 per month
– In Japan and Korea,
prices are below
USD0.10 per month
– 33 African economies
do not have broadband
Source: ITU/UNCTAD/KADO Digital Opportunity Platform.
Digital Opportunity, 2005-06
The Digital Opportunity Index (DOI) measures each economy’s level of
ICT development. It is a composite index of 11 separate indicators,
ranging between 0 and 1. DOI is one of two indices endorsed by WSIS.
Source: ITU/UNCTAD/KADO Digital Opportunity Platform.
Top performers
Top 10, 2006
DOI Score
1. Korea (Rep.)
0.80
1. Morocco
+36
2. Japan
0.77
2. Russian Fed.
+27
3. Denmark
0.76
3. Senegal
+22
4. Iceland
0.74
4. Ghana
+19
5. Singapore
0.72
5. Antigua & Barbuda
+18
6. Netherlands
0.71
6. Gabon
+18
7. Taiwan-China
0.71
7. Belize
+16
8. Hong-Kong-China
0.70
8. Bhutan
+15
9. Sweden
0.70
9. Côte d’Ivoire
+13
10. UK
0.69
10. Romania
+13
Note: Based on an analysis of 181 economies.
Source: ITU/UNCTAD/KADO Digital Opportunity Platform.
Gainers, 2004-06
Change in
ranks
Threats in cyberspace
• Inherited architecture of the
Internet was not designed to
optimize security
• Constant evolution in protocols
and algorithms
• Introduction of Next-Generation
Networks (NGN)
• Convergence among ICT services and networks
• Network effects – risks far greater
• Possibility of anonymity on the Internet
• Internationalization requires cross-border
cooperation
Conclusions
• The digital divide is shrinking, but
new gaps in quality are emerging:
– Availability of newest services
– Affordability of broadband
• Many countries are experiencing
much higher levels of ICT growth
– Successful strategies based on
multi-stakeholder partnerships
• New risks threaten cyberspace
– Spam, viruses, phishing, identity theft etc
• Full text online at: www.itu.int/wisr
Thank you very much
Tim.kelly@itu.int
Mongi.Hamdi@unctad.org
www.itu.int/wisr
www.unctad.org/wisr