Getting the poor connected – can public- private partnerships help to overcome the information divide

The 21st Century has seen extraordinary progress in information communication technologies (ICTs). Yet these advances have left out the majority of the people in developing nations. Poor people in particular, continue to lack access to technology and are unable to profit from its benefits. By themselves, neither the private or public sector of developing countries, nor donor agencies seem capable of extending ICTs to those still unaffected by technological advances. To overcome constraints, public- private partnerships (PPPs) appear to be a more appropriate model for delivering these services.