Venues

This project focuses on venues, accessible to the general public, that have ICT. Therefore, this study is not limited to publicly (government) funded access points. Accordingly, commercial cybercafes are a means of public access.

Public Access 'models'

The study is particularly interested in libraries, telecentres and cybercafes. In our background research and discussions, the lines between these so-called models have blurred. In Chile, for example, 80 of the 387 libraries host telecentres on their premises, a distinction that is invisible to the end-user. The Bangladesh report suggests many cybercafes are in the process of converting to telecentres. Some “telecentres” operate more as private enterprises while some cybercafés cater to underserved communities. Over the course of the 5 years of this study we can safely assume there will be many new developments – technological, organizational, institutional, etc. – that may further stymie any attempts to define ideal types, much less hold them constant in a way that would lead us to arrive at meaningful conclusions (impact of cybercafés is ABC, impact of telecentres is DEF…).  Our current thinking, therefore, is that it will be more profitable to identify the key characteristics of these places (such as business model, physical design, staff, services, technology, etc.), and ascertain what conditions lead to particular outcomes, building in a dynamic understanding that these conditions will change over time.

Mobile phones

Everyone believes mobile phones will increase in importance in the course of this study, and that our research design must address this phenomenon. We've discussed mobile phones in at least three ways.

1. As a shared access "venue" (e.g. Grameen phone ladies in Bangladesh)
2. As a technology that more conventional venues (telecenters, libraries, etc) are offering to their patrons
3. Use of mobile phones as a substitute or complement to public access

Questions:

1. Centers that provide specialized information -- what about health centers, or agricultural co-ops or other such places that only offer information on those topics?
2. Intermediaries -- what about places that only provide access to ICT through an intermediary?
3. Small-scale operations -- what about a computer in a grocery store or restaurant that is available to the public? Do we want to include these in such methodologies as the census? Or, do we limit to places where providing access to ICT is a significant activity?

Inside/Outside scope:

Oustide scope -- Computer labs in schools only available to students

Inside scope - Schools open to the general population during non-school hours