Increasing Broadband Internet Penetration
In the OIC Member Countries
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plan came as part of the approval process in its acquisition of the media and entertainment
company, NBC Universal. Beyond the 1.5 Mbps Internet connection, eligible customers also
qualified for $150 refurbished computers, which would come with software donated by
Microsoft. Comcast also offered digital literacy training to these users free of charge. To qualify
for the plan, households must: a) not yet have a broadband connection and b) have a child
enrolled in a school lunch program. The US$ 9.99 monthly rate lasts for two years, at which
point customers have the option to renew at a higher – but still discounted – price. Because the
US$ 9.99 covers the companies’ overhead costs, providers would likely not experience a
significant loss in earnings nor does the government need to provide supplemental funding.
In late 2011, the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that
most of the country’s major cable companies partnered to join the initiative. These companies
included Time Warner, Cox, and Charter, though AT&T and Verizon chose not to participate.
The low prices attract new subscribers who previously could not afford the cost of an Internet
connection. In addition, Morgan Stanley is working with the cable companies to develop a
microcredit program while partnering employment and education companies will offer
specialized content to make Internet access more attractive to these users.
The FCC said that it supported the partnership as a means to increase the country’s broadband
penetration, particularly amongst the otherwise underserved segment of the population, and
praised its potential to guarantee digital literacy among the country’s students. It hopes that by
increasing Internet access and digital literacy, high school graduates will be more hirable, as
even entry-level jobs typically require basic ICT skills, which also help employees in the online
job search.
Tackling digital literacyAddressing this obstacle requires the implementation of programs that build an understanding
of the service offerings, and develop user confidence, explaining the benefits of use, and
understanding security and privacy constraints as well. In general terms, four types of
initiatives targeting digital literacy impediments exist:• Digital literacy through education programs entail the inclusion of specific programs at
all levels of the formal education system, requiring also the implementation of training
programs for teachers,
• Targeted digital literacy interventions comprise the implementation of programs
addressed to specific segments of the population, such as the elderly, the
disadvantaged or the rural population,
• Deployment of community access centers allows supplying non-adopting population
with devices and access points to the Internet; in addition, the access centers can
become points of delivery of training programs and user support,
• The privacy and security training programs allow building the levels of trust from
consumers in order to foster adoption of broadband.
While digital literacy embedded in formal education processes are conducted in school
institutions, closely linked to curricula, targeted programs entail group-specific training in the