WSIS C2 Action Line Facilitation Meeting
Round Table on the ICT Projects and Necessary Mechanisms for Successful Implementation
19 May 2008, ITU, Geneva, Switzerland

The Digital World Forum as a Necessary Mechanism
for Successful Implementation
Revised 18 May 2008











PLAN






INTRODUCTION








DWF PARTNERS









DWF GOALS

  • Works towards reducing the digital divide and social exclusion
  • Assess existing low-cost technologies, their potential, their challenges
  • Build roadmaps with stakeholders to leverage access to ICT in Developing Countries
  • Create the conditions for their future successful implementation,
  • Pave the way for strategic partnerships in view of developing interoperable solutions





DWF WORK PACKAGES (WP)

  • WP1: Mobile Web Applications ( W3C ).
  • WP2: Low-Cost Laptop: inter alia explore how to play a proactive role in the area of low-cost laptops,
  • WP3: Low-cost Broadband Access and Infrastructure: inter alia explore key R&D or standardization actions that could lead to a better interoperability order to leverage low-cost broadband availability
  • WP4: Dissemination and Outreach: inter alia disseminate the roadmaps towards industry communities, political levels, EU circle, and local, regional and international forum.








A Pioneering Non-Profit Initiative
  • Efforts to bridge the Digital Divide do not and cannot rely on the mass market alone.
  • Mixture of prescription orders and a mass market.
  • OLPC ( first presented at the WSIS in Tunis) is a non-commercial academic initiative,
  • For the first time, a Civil Society initiative has a major technological and commercial impact
  • Despite technological breakthroughs, OLPC is plagued by logistical and political problems








Industrial Follow-Up


  • Following the fear of a breakthrough by OLPC that would create a new market
  • Many commercial companies started or are starting low-cost UMPC ( Ultra Mobile PCs)
  • Stunning commercial success of the eeePC from ASUS ( direct sales & bundle with Telcos )
  • Processors & various chips for mobile phones ( eg the leader ARM ) are becoming powerful enough to equip a laptop,
  • An incoming technological revolution on the horizon : mobile/laptop convergence.





Questions


  • Would OPLC need a place to interface with all stakeholders ? a Forum ? to overcome its problems and elaborate a sound roadmap ?
  • Are all these companies jumping on the UMPC bandwagon, enough in contact with governments ( particularly from developing countries ) and civil society ? to really study requirements to bridge the digital divide and to transform technological success into a social & educational success within the information society ?
  • Similar problems, although less visible, but as important, arise with new networking technologies.






CONCLUSIONS


  • To effectively bridge the Digital Divide
  • Not to miss major technolgical evolutions such as the mobile/laptop convergence.
  • Not to miss the inputs & requirements from Educators & Civil Society with whom the industry has very little contact.
  • Not to miss the inputs & requirements from Governments for their social inclusive policies.
  • Conversely for Governments ( in particular from developing countries ) not to miss technological partnerships and to avoid roadmap errors with a heavy political price.
  • Urgent need to organize a sustainable Forum, building on the initial impetus and financial support of the FP7 Digital World Forum support action.