642009

1
Bridging the Digital DivideRepublic of Palaus
Perspective

• Ed Carter
• General Manager
• Palau National Communications Corp.

2
Developing Palaus Shared Vision

• Communications Information Technology Technical
  Advisory Group (CITA)
• Established by the President of the Republic of
  Palau
• Membership includes all stakeholders
• Government
• Education
• Health
• Business
• Telecommunication Provider

3
Developing Palaus Shared Vision

• CITAs Responsibilities
• Recognition of Limited ICT Resources
• Coordinate between public and private sectors to
  optimize ICT development in Palau
• Develop comprehensive plan and programs
• Further Economic Development of Palau
• Improve the delivery of Government Services
• Improve Health care
• Improve Education
• Improve and expand Internet service and access

4
Developing Palaus Shared Vision

• PNCC hosts a monthly Focus Group
• Focal point for getting Technical staff of major
  users together
• Ideas are exchanged on Internet ICT
• Users and Consultants update PNCC and each other
• Mutual assistance with problems and objectives

5
Developing Palaus Shared Vision

• PNCC hosting a series of workshops
• Brings ICT Expertise to Palau for Education
  Planning purposes
• Leadership and ICT Stakeholders are brought
  together to discuss ICT issues with an expert

6
Bridging the Digital Divide

• Increasing Access to ICT
• Commercial Public-Use Internet Centers
• PNCC fostered the growth of Centers with
  favorable tariffs
• Over 10 locations in Palaus Urban Center
• LocalNet
• Unmetered Domestic Access
• Encourages development of Domestic Internet use
• E-Governance/Distant Education/Tele-Health
• Web-page Design and use

7
Bridging the Digital Divide

• Problems of Access
• Income Digital Divide
• Many have no access to computers or Internet
• Urban Rural Digital Divide
• Internet Usage almost non-existent outside Urban
  center
• Development of Rural Telecenters School
  Facilities
• Ministry of Education is developing Pilot project
• National Conference on Rural Multipurpose
  Community Telecenters was held July 1, 2002
• Planning is underway for implementation of Rural
  Telecenter

8
Developing ICT Infrastructure

• International Connectivity Dependant on Satellite
  Service - expensive bandwidth
• Palau is exploring
• Submarine Fiber Optic options
• New Satellite options
• Domestic Connectivity
• LocalNet allows unlimited usage with-in Palau
• DSL provisioned to Business, Government, and
  Public-Use Centers
• Increase of Domestic content

9
Developing ICT Infrastructure

• Planning is underway for enhancement of Domestic
  Fiber Optic capacity
• Currently an OC-3 SONET ring near capacity
• Proposed to increase so that commercial,
  education, health, government, and rural needs
  are met

10
Essential Applications for the Information Society

• E-Government
• PNCC Acting as Consultant/Vendor to Government
  Sectors to assist moving into E-Governance
• Complete one-stop package
• Internet Access Domain
• Web Hosting Web Site Design and Development
• Local Area Network installation

11
Essential Applications for the Information Society

• E-Governance
• Partnering with local businesses to provide
  Government
• Web presence
• Local Area Network
• Designing Website for Republic of Palau
  Legislature

12
Essential Applications for the Information Society

• Health and Education
• Libraries are being interconnected with
  high-speed service
• Projects are being planned to develop Intranets
  for each with high-speed connectivity
• International bandwidth projects are being
  proposed

13
Essential Applications for the Information Society

• Ministry of Health is Actively Using ICT for
  Training and Consultation
• Requires increased connectivity
• Point to Point service needed
• Ministry of Education is developing Distant
  Learning capabilities
• Video Conferencing with ISDN

14
Essential Applications for the Information Society

• Audio Streaming Radio Broadcasts over Internet
• Overseas Countrymen can hear whats going on back
  Home
• Local news
• Local Entertainment
• Service Provided
• Bandwidth of 16Kbs from Palau Audio server to
  Hawaii Audio Server

15
Summary

• Palaus Development of Internet Access should
  meet Phase One target of
• Tokyo Declaration
• Cost of International access prohibitive
• Development required for Rural areas
• Financial structure of Telecommunications is
  fragile small population/high costs