Digital inclusion in the innovation district model: the case of Chattanooga, Tennessee
According to the Brookings Institution, more and more cities are using the innovation district model, in which anchor institutions, companies, startups, business incubators, and accelerators are clustered together in dense urban areas to spur economic development. Such districts, however, can risk…
ITU and UNICEF coordinate new initiative to connect the world’s schools
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNICEF are coordinating GIGA, a new initiative to connect every school to the Internet. GIGA will be supported through partnerships between country governments, technology partners, and United Nations bodies. The initiative comprises four pillars: Map:…
Costa Rica invests $47.9 million in connectivity initiative for Indigenous territories
The Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) has been awarded $47.9 million to bring telephone and Internet services to Indigenous territories in the south of Costa Rica and near its Atlantic coast. The investment was made through the National Telecommunications Fund (FONATEL),…
Local government in the UK awarded funds for digital inclusion projects
The Local Government Association (LGA, the national membership body for local authorities in the UK) will disburse close to £200,000 to ten councils to fund initiatives which promote digital inclusion in their local communities. The supported projects focus on reaching…
Malaysia to establish National Digital Inclusion Council
The Malaysian government will establish a National Digital Inclusion Council, with the aim of creating more equal income opportunities in the country’s digital economy. The creation of the Council fits with the government’s stated aim and vision of ‘Shared Prosperity’,…
Digital Inclusion Week 2019 held in the US from 7 to 11 October
Digital Inclusion Week is an annual celebration in the US, which aims to raise awareness of solutions addressing home internet access, personal devices and local technology training and support programmes. This year it took place from 7 to 11 October….
UN launches new tech report calling for a safer and more inclusive digital future
The UN High Level Panel on Digital Cooperation launched a new report, “The Age of Digital Interdependence”, which highlights the urgency of improved global cooperation in the digital age. The report explores a number of related issues, including how to…
Huawei puts digital inclusion front and center in announcement of ‘Tech4ALL’ initiative
Huawei has announced a new initiative, Tech4ALL, to promote the digital inclusion for both individuals and small businesses by focusing efforts on connectivity, applications and skills. The initiative aims to help 500 million additional people around the world benefit directly…
Costa Rica to provide free Internet in bid to reduce the country’s digital divide
Costa Rica has launched an initiative called “Espacios Públicos Conectados” (Connected Public Spaces) to reduce the country’s digital divide through FONATEL, the National Telecommunications Fund. The objective of this programme is to bring free Internet to 170 public spaces throughout…
India to establish 100,000 digital villages in remote and rural areas
In its latest budget, the government of India announced its plans to convert 100,000 villages into ‘digital villages’ over the next five years, enhancing the digital and financial inclusion of the country’s remote and rural areas. This will be achieved…
