Mian Muhammad Javed (Former Members RRB, ITU
THE buzz word the first quarter of the centuary was Digital inclusion. World all around us is talking of digital transformation.
So relevant to the world are advancements today that even developed world are doing everything to stay current on its innovations and applications.
It has found its role in walks of life Internal Telecommunications Union (ITU) is fulfilling its lead role and has been working closely with sister UN organisations in cross-sector studies the impact of new developments.
United Nation General Assembly (UNGA) has it mentioned in Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’S).
World Economic Forum (WEF) has devised measures to keep track of progress in this field. Parliaments in Europe are keenly watching the developments.
European Union leads in enthusiasm issuing directives to member countries to adopt policies and legal frameworks so as to make available Internet Broadband services to their citizens.
Yet so much more is to be done to chase adoption of new applications that this year has n ITU as a World Apex body has selected slogan of “Accelerating Digital Transformations…”
In race for adopting innovations in digital technologies the Telecom world seems to have all but forgotten the Digital Divide ie disparity which exists in access to latest ICT services.
Digital divide is visible between different Regions, between countries in the same region and within countries Need to look at the worldmap, how the Regions compare.
In terms of IDI (Information Development Index) a KPI in use at ITU for ranking in access, availability and use of ICT and shall see how different regions fare
Name of Region/ IDI Value
Africa / 2.64
Americas / 5.21
Asia Pacific / 4.83
Europe / 7.5
World Average / 5.11
Standing and numbers are, in a way, not surprising Europe and North America is cradle of.
Electrical Comunications Telegraph Service (Telegrams) which was possible through use of Morse code consisting of combination of dots and dashes named after its Canadian inventor.
Trans Atlantic Telegraph cables were laid on ocean bed to carry signals in form of coded messages transmitted between Europe and Americas.
Within countries land lines were erected which supported pen wires conducting telegraph signals between local and cross border destinations.
This concept of electric signal converted into a pattern of bits was to revolutionise telecommunication after a century and a half and laid foundation of digital revolution).
Voice transmission on land lines appeared with invention of Telephone set patented by Graham Bell in USA in start of third quarter of same century.
Two decades later Marconi invented Wireless transmission of signals over radio waves Telecommunications was born.
While role of Telegraph service was considered of strategical importance needed in defence, governance of colonies and means of conveying commodity prices etc but telephony remained a sort of status symbol for elite for a long time but, step by step moving in rank of utility into category of catalyst for economic development and ultimately as an essential tool for businesses.
Telephone penetration increased all over the world. in the twentieth century.
After World War II many defence related technologies were declassified and became available for civilianuse, After fifteen years of end of war following of those saw large scale deployment Communication Satellites, Microwave Radio links, Optic Fibre Cables, Electronic telephone exchanges, Mobile Radio Telephone networks and above all Internet.
World witnessed a large scale switch over from analogue to digital technologies Desktop computers appeared on the scene giving fillip to data services.
ITU named systems as part Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) before the advent of 21st century ICT sector had entered what could be termed as digital revolution consisting of New Generation Cellular Mobile System, Broadband Internet, Smart phones and laptops.
etc Asia-Pacific Countries like Korea, Japan and China contributed significantly in making progress.
New applications of Broadband services concerning everyday activities of individuals, institutions and organisations were developed one after another helping make life easier and happier.
Today around the world such applications have become way of life for access to information, in. computations, transaction documentation, account keeping and payment realization and what not.
Commerce and Trade, Travel and safety, Education and learning, Banking and money remittances, Dealing with government agencies eg filing applications and tax returns. have all been facilitated.
Now the challenges which part of the world is facing. First to be beneficiary people have to training the use of new technologies which are more sophisticated and require a degree of skill.
The user has to be literate and equipped with basic computer skills For countries like Pakistan where literacy rate country average is 60-70 percent large proportion will remain deprived of benefits of digital services and opportunities offered by digital revolution.
School enrolment needs to be increased and computer skills imparted to boys and girls on larger scale.
As under 18th Constitutional amendment responsibility for education rests with provinces the authorities there in should realize the compulsion of new global technology order and take measures on priority to address these issues.
Telecommunications is a federal subject but the provincial governments have to play part in extending coverage to their areas.
The provincial and local government authorities may like to review their policies about granting permissions and approvals to Telecom companies for laying cables and wires in their cities and towns.
They should have a long term perspective rather than looking for short term gains and adopt policies so that people of their provinces can gain access to new digital services which yield economic benefits of increasing incomes and promoting economic activities.
Before closing one issue worth attention is that of affordability in access to digital services.
The Consumer Premise Equipment (CPE) costs are high.
Keeping House Hold incomes in Pakistan there is case for lower Installation charges. Most of equipment is imported.
Indigenous manufacture of CPE may help in this direction
It has taken more than a century for Orient to make their mark in the field of ICTs Asia Pacific Region countries namely, China, Japan Korea (ROK) etc are now competing with America and Europe in digital transformation.
Developing countries of this most populous Region need to contribute more to skill development and innovation to reach similar level of attainment.
