[Published: Sunday September 05 2010]
UN reveals global disparity in broadband access
New York, 5 Sept-(ANA)-The global disparity in fixed broadband access and cost has been revealed by UN figures.
The Central African Republic is the most expensive place to get a fixed broadband connection, costing nearly 40 times the average monthly income there.
Macao in China is the cheapest, costing 0.3% of the average monthly income.
Niger becomes the most expensive place to access communication technologies, when landlines and mobiles are also taken into account.
The statistics were released ahead of the UN 2010 Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York on 19 September.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are a set of targets intended to reduce global poverty and improve living standards by 2015.
Specific goals target education, fighting disease and promoting gender equality.
Access to communications technology is a part of one of the targets.
With five years to go until the deadline to achieve the goals, progress remains uneven. Some countries have achieved many of the goals, while others - mostly in the developing world - may not realise any.
Many development experts question how the goals will be achieved and how they will be paid for. Some even question whether the approach is neccessary or helpful. (ANA)
FA/ANA/5 September 2010------
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