Intel commits US$1 billion to emerging markets via World Ahead Program

Sunday, 14 May 2006 16:05  |  Michael Schwartz

Two recent statements by Intel Corporation indicate the company's strong commitment to bringing the world's developing communities into contact with not only technology but also education through technology. Developing Telecoms welcomes this commitment.

Intel's US$1 billion commitment to 'World Ahead' program Intel Corporation will invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in a broad new programme to speed access to uncompromised technology and education for people in the world's developing communities.

Intel's World Ahead Program, which extends the company's existing initiatives for developing regions, integrates Intel's efforts to enhance lives by driving progress in three areas:

• Accessibility: creating opportunities for widespread ownership and use of PCs through affordability, access and content, including the development of fully featured, affordable PCs tailored to regional needs;
• Connectivity: expanding wireless broadband Internet access by cultivating the required ecosystems and encouraging deployment, including the broad promotion of WiMAX trials and deployments; and
• Education: preparing students for success in the global economy through education programmes and resources, including professional development for teachers worldwide.

The five-year objectives of the World Ahead Program are to extend broadband PC access to the world's next billion users while training 10 million more teachers in the use of technology in education and with the possibility of reaching another 1 billion students.

"Decades of providing technology in growing volume and at decreasing costs have driven great gains for developing nations, communities and people worldwide, but there is still much to do," said Paul Otellini, Intel President CEO. "While affordability of PCs is crucial, the World Ahead Program goes beyond simple cost to develop the right systems tailored to local needs, drive critical connectivity, cultivate sustainable local capabilities and provide the quality education needed to make a meaningful difference in people's lives."

Greater PC access, faster, more cost-effective connectivity

Intel believes in investing in driving greater worldwide PC access, faster and more cost-effective connectivity, and broad-reaching education programmes. It operates in virtually every corner of the world and has extensive programmes aimed at local communities, from community education for disadvantaged youth to platform definition centres where Intel researchers and engineers define and develop user-centric technologies to meet the needs of specific regions of the world.

The World Ahead Program integrates these efforts to accelerate their progress, multiply their effects and further extend their reach. For example, in its Discover the PC initiative, which develops full-featured, low-cost PC technology tailored for people in developing regions, the company now plans to develop six more geographically tailored PC designs worldwide in the next two years, following on the recently introduced Intel-powered Community PC in India.

WiMAX

Intel is continuing its efforts to grow the availability of WiMAX technology for low-cost broadband access. By combining the individual efforts in accessibility, connectivity and education, Intel also aims to create more opportunities to make fully featured PCs and high-speed Internet access available to schools in developing nations, along with training for teachers on how to integrate the technology into their teaching. Intel itself is donating 100,000 PCs to classrooms in developing nations in order to improve teaching and learning.

Intel's past investments have delivered strong results in technology access, connectivity and education worldwide. Intel has, for example, worked with the governments of 52 countries to develop digital inclusion programmes, also known as government-assisted PC programmes, to make it easier for people to purchase or lease PCs. In 2005, 8.5 million PCs were included in these efforts.

Intel's Discover the PC Initiative provides customised technology solutions that enable new types of PCs to meet the specific needs of the developing world. These include low-cost, fully-featured, easy-to-use PCs for home and work, Community PCs customised for public access PC kiosks in rural areas, and low-cost PCs tailored to the needs of schools and educators. One design, codenamed 'EduWise,' is a small-form-factor notebook PC designed specifically for student computing and the unique needs of teaching and interactive learning in the classroom.

To help improve education worldwide, Intel invests US$100 million per year in collaboration with governments and educators in 50 countries. The Intel Teach to the Future Program has helped more than 3 million teachers in more than 35 countries effectively integrate technology into their classrooms to improve student learning. The recently introduced Intel Learn Program has reached more than 150,000 young learners in Brazil, Egypt, Israel, Mexico, China, Russia and Turkey. The Intel Computer Clubhouse Network has served 50,000 disadvantaged youths across 20 countries with 110 clubhouses.

Intel's work to promote WiMAX availability for low-cost broadband Internet access has helped spark more than 175 WiMAX trials in progress worldwide, and more than 35 have gone live commercially.

Intel Capital has invested more than US$4 billion in more than 1,000 promising technologies over the past 15 years, and in 2005 60% of those investments were outside the US, including China, Taiwan, Korea, India, Eastern Europe and Latin America.

Paul Otellini provided more perspective on the World Ahead Program, including demonstrations of PC designs tailored to regional needs, in a speech at the World Congress on Information Technology on May 3.

More info:

• www.intel.com

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