Information Communications Technology

Industry Challenges

Information and communications technology (ICT) represent an enormous opportunity to introduce significant and lasting positive change across the developing world. The rapid penetration of mobile access in particular has resulted in considerable improvements in the lives of the poor in both rural and urban contexts. All evidence suggests that this trend is going to continue, as the availability expands and the cost of access continues to decline. The breathtaking pace of penetration and uptake of mobile telephony and broadband Internet is supporting many new possibilities, products, and services, providing breakthrough ideas in agriculture, health, education, and access to finance, and helping local and international trade.