Next Generation Networks: A New Digital Divide?

At present there is no one definition of the term ‘International Digital Divide’. It is often defined in different ways, but nevertheless, factors that influence its definition include access to telecommunication lines, the ratio of internet hosts to GDP, and the level of development of the human capital base. The lack of a clear definition will have knock-on effects in the loan documentation of aid agencies involved in infrastructure development and capacity building. However, a clear definition of the divide could help to focus and better target the necessary investment to help address the inequalities the divide attempts to capture, particularly with the rollout of NGNs. This paper attempts to (a) provide a brief overview on the rise and structure of the internet and evolution to Next Generation Networks, (b) set out basic indicators of the Digital Divide and clarify the significance of these linkages, and (c) to review various definitions of the Digital Divide available in current literature so as to arrive at one new overriding definition.