[LINK] Fwd: UN and partners launch plan to bring wireless internet connections to developing world

[Antony Barry]

Begin forwarded message:

> UN AND PARTNERS LAUNCH PLAN TO BRING WIRELESS INTERNET CONNECTIONS TO  
> DEVELOPING WORLD
> New York, Mar 24 2004  6:00PM
> Hoping to extend Internet connectivity to underserved populations  
> around the world, the United Nations and the Wireless Internet  
> Institute (W2i) today  
> <"http://www.un.org/News/briefings/docs/2004/ 
> wificonference.doc.htm">announced a series of programmes to accelerate  
> the adoption of broadband wireless technology in developing countries.
>
> The "Wireless Internet for Underserved Populations and Local  
> Communities" initiative was developed in follow-up to a June 2003  
> conference on wireless Internet opportunities for developing nations.  
> It is also in support of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - a  
> set of measurable and time-bound targets adopted by world leaders at a  
> UN summit in 2000 - and the Declaration of Principles adopted at the  
> World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the first-ever global  
> forum on information technologies (ICTs).
>
> Planned within the framework of the programme are over 15 conferences,  
> seminars and interactive workshops for Asia, Africa, Latin America and  
> the Middle East designed to help officials and experts explore the use  
> of broadband wireless Internet technologies in their countries and  
> communities. Special emphasis will be put on training and capacity  
> building, as well as cooperation at international and local levels and  
> public-private partnerships.
>
> "W2i has received requests from business organizations and  
> governmental regulatory agencies in several countries to facilitate  
> consensus among local stakeholders in emerging broadband wireless  
> Internet standards," said Daniel Aghion, Executive Director of W2i.
>
> Early underwriters of the initiative include IBM and Intel. "Intel is  
> a strong proponent of enabling affordable Internet connectivity  
> worldwide, and we are developing wireless technologies and working  
> with organizations like W2i to help accelerate the adoption of  
> broadband wireless technologies worldwide," said Julie Coppernoll,  
> director of marketing for Intel's Wireless Networking Group.
>
> UN ICT Task Force Chairman Jose Maria Figueres-Olsen said he looked  
> forward to the impact these initiatives will have "in raising private  
> and public stakeholders' awareness of the potential Wi-Fi and related  
> technologies present as an economic development tool for underserved  
> populations in developing nations and local communities around the  
> world."
>  2004-03-24 00:00:00.000
>
> ________________
>
> For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news
>
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