This document provides an overview of the physical, cultural, and social challenges related to development in the area of information and communication technology (ICT) worldwide. The author begins by distinguishing between IT (information technology) in the West and ICT in the global sphere. He points out that "In the west, communications technology are taken for granted due to their pervasiveness. In the developing world this is not the case." Communications technology in the West, he claims, is dependent on heavy-duty infrastructure requirements. Such a network of wires, the author points out, is prohibitive economically for developing nations.

Cell phone technology, however, has inspired what the author calls "a dramatic change". The cell phone towers are small, enclosed, and can be run off the electricity grid using generators. Electrical power generators that run on various fuels can also substitute for a grid. In this way and in many other ways, Woodside argues, ICT development (unlike IT) intrinsically involves bringing communications technology to places it has never been before.

Sections that follow in this article explore trends in the areas of:

Contact Simon Woodside sbwoodside@yahoo.com for a copy of this article.