Digital Divide, Emerging Markets, Global: Bridging the digital divide has long been at the top of every socio-economic development agenda. More and more studies are confirming that universal access to mobile communications is the most effective way to achieve it. Making it happen depends on facing the affordability challenge in its three dimensions: total cost of ownership, the cash barrier faced by users and the regulatory environment...

Revenue Assurance, GSM, Panama:  Cable & Wireless Panama first started providing GSM services in 2003. By 2005, it was catering to 64,000 mobile subscribers and seeing a 35% increase in GSM service revenue from the previous fiscal year. C&W placed great emphasis on revenue assurance maturity as a factor in its Panama unit's success, and found a solution to the challenge of revenue assurance with the MoneyMap suite from cVidya. Panama thus became the first C&W market outside the UK to deploy MoneyMap.

Andrew Corporation has been a major player in emerging markets for many years. In Russia and the CIS they are working with all three main operators and have around 30% market share with tier 2 and 3 operators. Julia Sudakova is Head of Sales for Andrew in the CIS & Mongolia. Here she talks with Developing Telecoms about these markets and how Andrew Corporation see communications services developing in the region in future.

Last week, Developing Telecoms talked about the urgent need for standardised and compatible equipment in the wake of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Now Carl Kleynhans, country general manager: Africa at American Power Conversion (APC) puts the case forward for standardising IT architecture as a matter of course - disasters or not.

Softscape has introduced an emergency management system designed to ensure disaster victims receive rapid assistance. Its web-based platform is open to government agencies as they direct both citizens and agency workers through their crisis. Dave Watkins, founder and CEO, Softscape, explains the requirements that any such system must meet.

Alan Morgan, District Manager, East Africa at American Power Conversion (www.apcc.com), submits his list of preventative measures designed to ensure operations do not come unstuck through electricity shortages.

Developing Telecoms welcomes back Nikesh Patel, Motorola’s Business Manager for its Government and Enterprise Mobility Solutions (GEMS) sector. He configures the ideal wireless broadband solution and outlines specific applications.

Recent events have shown just how critical a part good communications play during disasters. Developing Telecoms welcomes Nikesh Patel, business manager for Motorola’s Government and Enterprise Mobility Solutions (GEMS) sector. He explains how seamless mobile wireless broadband solutions optimise emergency response.